Blitzkrieg
by BMIK
Summary: It was supposed to be a quick, clean -albeit brutal- affair, but what started as a Blitzkrieg between two unlikely, involuntary roommates turns into an unexpectedly long and hard battle of wills. Sephesis, partly AU, Co-written w. Mary Murderprincess
1. Chapter 1

**Hello~ Welcome to a new fic! This time it is a Sephiroth/Genesis fic, as I came to appreciate this pairing as of late and Mary L. Murderprincess was so sweet as to start this collab with me^^ We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed writing! And we also would like to than aubrieta for the wonderful and thorough betaing, it was extremely helpful! *huggles***

**Enjoy^^  
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**Blitzkrieg**

Chapter 1

The first thing he noticed as he entered the venerable, old stone building that housed the ShinRa Training Academy was not the dusty air ripe with exuberant blabbering, or the faint smell of testosterone from the new cadets who occupied the floor, talking amongst themselves. It wasn't the shiny, clean linoleum that coated the corridors, the sun flooding in through the high windows, nor the curious glances and hushed whispers that followed him as he walked serenely past their rows. He was used to being the center of attention, it didn't interest him enough to even spare them a glance.

At the tender age of 17, Sephiroth was something akin to a legend amongst the students and teachers already. A genius with the sword, he was precise, controlled, and deadly. Enrolling at the Academy to study was more of an annoying formality than something he actually needed. Sephiroth doubted that they could teach him anything here, but as it was, he had to abide by the rules. Becoming a general required that he attend classes and complete the semester, but to Sephiroth it meant little more than sitting in a room and being bored out of his wits. As if he didn't have more important things to do... He might have given a derisive snort but Sephiroth generally didn't waste energy on things like that. Instead, he strode through the crowded halls, head held high, his regal form straight , his long hair swaying with his steps.

It was when he finally reached his class room, half filled with students already, that something other than his own problems caught his attention, something extraordinarily... red. Sephiroth didn't slow his pace as he made his way to the farthest seats, but his eyes were now fixated on the young man in red sitting by the high window.

It wasn't that he didn't want to be here. It was Genesis' dream after all, to become a soldier, to become a hero. Ever since he had played with Angeal between the high apple trees of Banora, he had been dreaming of a world beyond the smell of green grass and fresh apple-pie, far away from the boring country life. Now that he was actually here at the Academy and had taken the first steps toward his dream, he was pissed beyond belief.

This was actually Genesis' and Angeal's first time away from home, something embarrassing enough in itself at the age of nearly 18, but he hadn't expected the city life to be this... peculiar. He did like it, in fact, but the other students already bothered him to no end with their foolish talk and rude behavior.

"Hey, look what that guy looks like!"

'Ha ha, how funny,' Genesis thought, crossing his arms in front of his chest and staring stubbornly ahead.

Angeal, next to him, gave him a sympathetic look. Angeal was never the one being picked on, he was too intimidating, even though you couldn't be frightened of him at all once you got to know him.  
But Genesis... oh, he was the perfect victim. Easy to irritate, rather delicately built and lean and, above all, very striking. He always told himself that if he had wanted to make them back off, he could have done it, but in reality, he had stopped believing this some time ago.

"Come on, Genesis. It'll get better, you will see," Angeal told him in a low voice, petting his shoulder with his heavy hand as Genesis felt his whole body shake with the movement. He sighed exaggeratedly just as he saw a flash of silver at the edge of his vision. Curious as always Genesis turned his head to see what exactly had caught his attention and his mouth went dry.

It was Sephiroth himself, staring right back at him with his emerald eyes.

'Oh gods, this day couldn't get any worse!'

Sephiroth graced the redhead with a assessing look from above that could have been interpreted as conceited. The general aura of superiority that naturally exuded from the young man gave his every action the air of an ice prince.

Now this other boy, the red one, seemed the complete opposite: he was fiery and warm, passionate and emotional. Sephiroth could see it all in his expressively narrowed eyes and the grand gesture with which he had folded his arms before his chest. It was a tense, daring kind of stance.  
Well, Sephiroth would have been tense and defensive as well what with that outrageous outfit. At least Red provided a little break from the boring, painfully mediocre rest of their class – whom had become utterly silent, watching the two of them with curiosity.

The silver haired man let his eyes glide from Genesis' figure impassively. He could become an interesting distraction every now and again, but Sephiroth doubted that the guy'd make it here for a significant amount of time. He was a country boy, apparently, and before long he'd be on his way back, terrified of the cruel, big city for the rest of his provincial life.

Not that Sephiroth cared.

Dourly, Sephiroth sat down, crossing his arms in an, 'I do not wish to be bothered and if you value your front teeth you'll stay far, far away from me,' manner, erecting impenetrable walls around him that deterred everyone from even attempting to look his way.

The redhead could nearly smell the presumption radiating from this man, he who had achieved fame even in a backwater town like Banora. Sephiroth, ShinRa's prized soldier. The magazines were full of futile information about him, like what his favorite food was, what girls he liked, what color, what drink, what, what, what. Genesis disliked him because the guy had everything he wanted. He wanted to be the hero that Sephiroth apparently seemed to be, and he wanted to be as talented with a sword as Sephiroth was. Genesis was used to getting what he wanted and he would make it in this Academy, even if it was the last thing he did on Gaia.

Bristling, he turned away from the silver-haired male, sending him a last challenging look before returning his attention to the back of the chair in front of him and burning holes into the cheap plastic with his smoldering gaze. Oh, how he didn't like Sephiroth, especially the way the man treated everyone like an inferior. Genesis knew that they were inferior in comparison to Sephiroth, and so he couldn't help but wonder why the great swordsman was even here, sitting in a muggy class room with all the lowly boys he so obviously couldn't stand.

Genesis also knew that what he had just done was an atypically bad idea, even for him. Antagonizing one of the most dangerous men on Gaia, if not the most dangerous one, didn't seem to be an exceptionally brilliant flash of genius after all, but Genesis wouldn't be himself if he backed off now. That was absolutely out of question.

And he had Angeal, hadn't he?

In turn, Sephiroth just lifted a brow, thinking to himself that this peculiar young man was quite irritable. It wasn't as if he had done anything to the redhead, but maybe he was waspish in general. Sephiroth mentally shrugged it off, deciding that he couldn't be bothered and then it was time to pay attention anyway, because the door was closed with a loud bang and their teacher had walked up to the front desk. Actually, waddled would have been a more fitting description.

The man who had come to introduce them to the general affairs of their school life was older and quite corpulent. He would have appeared jovial with his dark gray hair, round belly, slightly dirty lab coat and screamingly orange shirt underneath, if it hadn't been for his absolutely unenthusiastic, downright ill-tempered, accusing stare.

The students scurried to their seats, sitting down and remaining stock-still, only a restrained cough from the back cutting through the thick, expectant silence.

Their teacher had reached the table, smashed down the stack of papers he'd been carrying under his arm and caused the front row to jump simultaneously at the deafening sound. The man graced them with a peeved glare and then abruptly turned around, reaching for the chalk to write in spidery letters onto the blackboard:

Doctor Hollander

Turning back to the classroom, he started to holler his introduction with a booming, deep voice. That was also the moment when Sephiroth stopped listening. He knew about the rules, which were quite trivial anyway, and didn't need to hear them again. Instead, his mind and gaze drifted off, caught by a sparkly earring that was attached to a certain redhead and that was too big to not be distracting.

Genesis felt a strange sensation at the back of his head right after their teacher had entered the room. The man reminded him of the father he had never had; he looked unhurried, down to earth somehow, not snotty like his own dad always was.

Shaking his head he tried to get rid of that idea. He couldn't afford to be lost in thought right from the start, he needed to concentrate – which had always been his problem, Genesis was so easy to distract. Now, the feeling of being watched made goose bumps grow up and down his back, made the thin hairs at his neck stand up. Genesis tried to focus, but it was simply not possible. He turned his head slowly, trying to catch what or who was looking at him with such an intense gaze that he practically felt it.

When he – again – caught a flash of silver hair, with green eyes staring at him, he wasn't able to hide his disarray. Why the hell was Sephiroth staring at him?

A loud bang, a clash of metal against metal, made him jump right out of his seat and turn back, facing Doctor Hollander, who examined him closely over the rim of his glasses.

"Is there anything more interesting than this general briefing, Mister Rhapsodos?"

The loud noise also caused Sephiroth to flinch and turn his attention back to their instructor, whose gaze slowly wandered from the redhead to their most prized student.

Sephiroth met his sharp gaze with mild disinterest that was masked by polite aloofness. He had never liked Hollander and he suspected that Hollander detested him, merely because of the fact that Sephiroth had chosen Professor Hojo as his physician (in hindsight he had to admit that this hadn't been one of his wiser decisions, but the damage was already done).

Before Genesis got a chance to reply to Hollander's rhetorical question, the man wandered up to them, hands clasped behind his back, a faintly sadistic smile on his dry lips.

"You seem to have taken quite an interest in Mr. Rhapsodos, Sephiroth." All heads turned towards the silver haired man who refused to be embarrassed and simply displayed a blank expression, blinking as if unfazed. Which he was. He had no interest in the redhead at all. Only his infuriating earring.

Genesis, on the other hand did blush, even though he didn't want to. Men didn't blush, but he felt the familiar heat rise to his face, heard his blood rushing and he could almost taste his embarrassment. Abso-fucking-lutely brilliant. Why did he have to make a fool of himself – and the most dangerous man here – right on the first day? It was just his luck, he guessed. Bet on Genesis to put his foot in it.

"I suggest that you save your blooming feelings of camaraderie for a more appropriate point in time. You two will be sharing a room, after all." Hollander deadpanned, teetering a bit on his heels with obvious satisfaction, as he knew that Sephiroth had applied for a single room.

"But…" Genesis started, but did not get all too far because Hollander had already turned around again, giving him a stern but far friendlier look than he had seen him do with Sephiroth. Genesis frowned at that.

"No buts Mr. Rhapsodos." End of discussion. Dr. Hollander's tone and gaze left no space for any comment, even from Genesis, so he just closed his mouth and stared at the man with something akin to amazement.

"So, now… since we've already started dividing you into roommates…" He went on, walking back towards the front of the class room, ranting on and on about how important it was to get along with their room and class mates, especially on missions, and Genesis noticed how the doctor shot Sephiroth blatantly warning glances every now and then. Unfortunately, he could not see what the silver-head's reaction was, but he thought he could imagine it. It was not that hard.

Angeal, next to him, nudged him softly to draw his attention back to the topic at hand, sparing him a second awkwardness in only some minutes. He threw him a thankful look, but Angeal looked pleased, even if his face was turned towards their teacher. They knew each other just that well.

Of course the most recent events didn't do anything to lift Sephiroth's mood. He sat through the rest of the class tight-faced, trying to not let on how much Hollander's ludicrous power games really peeved him.

When the class finally ended and Hollander had released them to go to their rooms to unpack their stuff, Sephiroth stood, walking out of the room with sharp strides. He had to inspect his new living situation, which lay at the very end of the building, meaning that it would take forever to go anywhere! The room that he had previously been promised (the single room), had been close to all the facilities and, on top of that, Sephiroth would have had his own shower.

When he opened the door to his new home the smell of sweaty socks hit his delicate nose with full force, causing him to blink and wrinkle his features in disgust.

This was absolutely unacceptable !

Flipping his cell phone open Sephiroth dialed the number of his superior, pacing the small room that basically consisted of two old beds on opposite sides, two scratched and blotted desks and a wardrobe.

"This is Sephiroth, I need to talk to Tseng, immediately," he curtly ordered into the phone, rubbing his forehead as he stared out the window where he was graced with the sight of a long row of muddy gray restrooms instead of the lovely greenery that he was supposed to see!

"Tseng speaking. What is it, Sephiroth?"

"I am calling because of my room-"

"Ah yes, Hollander informed me already," Tseng impatiently interrupted as he was apparently kind of busy. "I approve of it, even though I must say that it wasn't easy to get you the privileges you are abandoning now. But it will be a moral booster for the other recruits to have you with them, so you can change rooms."

"Bu-"

"I said I approve. If there's nothing else I'll leave the rest to you, I am very busy at the moment."

Sephiroth's expression turned even darker, but he knew better than to get on Tseng's nerves when the man was stressed. "No sir. Thank you sir."

He flipped his phone shut with a scowl, and turning around towards the door, he stiffened. There was the redhead with his duffel bag, occupying the door way.

Sephiroth wondered how long he'd been standing there already, but Genesis' blue-gray eyes roamed the room lazily as the other students shuffled around, getting their stuff and hurrying to their rooms.  
No, Genesis was certainly not eager to get to his room and make 'happy-friends' with his roommate. He doubted that Sephiroth would be any different in private from how he was in public; he did not seem to be that kind of guy. He sighed. This was going to be a pain in the ass; he had hoped to bunk with Angeal, it was what he was used to, Angeal was what he was used to.

Sephiroth certainly was not what he was used to. He was the complete opposite of his childhood friend.

Angeal had always accepted him for who he was even if Genesis was bitchy, girly and a true drama queen from time to time. The dark haired young man had rarely, if ever, complained about Genesis' antics, but the red-head just knew that he wouldn't get along with Sephiroth because he was obviously not as clement as Angeal. But Genesis wouldn't change for some sniffy dickhead just because he was a better soldier… at the moment.

He hadn't even noticed that he had gotten up to join Angeal at the door, chatting idly with him until they had to part. Just then he had realized that he had absolutely no idea where his room was. The only clue he had was the sheet of paper in his hands with a rather confusing map printed in way too tiny letters and a bright yellow 'x' marking his destination, while a red 'x' marked his current position. This was way too much like a military operation just yet. This just sucked BIG time and was no fun at all.

After a hideous odyssey through seemingly endless halls, passing numerous doors, but no people at all, he had finally stood in front of the door that was marked with the right combination of ciphers. Awesome, he had finally done it. Without a second thought Genesis had opened the door, but froze dead in the doorway when he came face to face with silver and green again.

Sephiroth hadn't seemed to notice him just then as he was on the phone. His grim expression told even Genesis that it was something that wasn't exactly good news to the other. The red head felt a pang of sympathy for the taller man, but he pushed it away angrily. This man, guy, boy, whatever, was supposed to be his rival; he shouldn't feel any sympathy for him at all.

Being lost in thoughts as he was, Genesis did not notice that Sephiroth's piercing eyes were suddenly focused on him. The phone was closed, the conversation had obviously ended and Genesis felt the heat creep up his neck again. It irritated him that Sephiroth was able to take him by surprise; he shouldn't be able to do that.

"What?" He hissed grumpily, crossing his slender arms in front of his chest in a rather defensive posture.

Sephiroth just continued watching him closely and Genesis suddenly felt very small under his superior stare. He hated feeling small. And he did what he always did when he felt small. He got upset.

"Stop fucking staring at me…"

Sephiroth's left eye twitched marginally. How he detested peasants and their unpolished, rude attitudes... But, as it was, he had to live with this guy from now on, until next year at least. Then he would get his wonderful, single room back or die trying!

Practical as he was Sephiroth assessed that, until then, they had to get along somehow. There would be a lot of avoidance involved from his side, of course. At this he was a professional, after all. Smoothing his expression into a blank one, he straightened.

"My apologies. I did not intend to stare." Even though he didn't expect the other to take it, he held out his hand. If the brat refused then that was his own problem, no one could say that Sephiroth hadn't tried. With a superior look he went on with the utterly redundant introduction.

"My name is Sephiroth, SOLDIER Second Class. You might have heard of me." His eyebrow arched ever so slightly. "And with whom do I have the pleasure of living?"

Genesis eyed the taller man suspiciously. He had seen him react to his rude behavior for no more than mere seconds and this was certainly not what the redhead had expected. Normally people would get all bitchy on him, especially ones like Sephiroth. But he had obviously underestimated the silver swordsman, he had not been given all of this praise without a reason; Sephiroth was definitely trying to be professional with him.

How Genesis hated people who treated him as an inferior and Sephiroth was definitely trying to do that now. Genesis was not easy to intimidate and he would show the silver haired soldier who he was dealing with.

"Genesis," he said lowly, crossing his arms in front of his chest and crooking his hip to the side.  
"Genesis Rhapsodos, SOLDIER Third Class. And yes, I certainly have heard of you… not that I can really understand all the hype that is going on about your person, if I might say so." He smirked cockily, while turning his head sideways. "But of course, as any professional SOLDIER, you would not care about what other people think about you, am I correct?"

He could show his well educated side if he wanted to, but normally he was used to rebelling against his parents by trying to forget his straight and boring upbringing.

Slowly, Sephiroth withdrew his rejected hand, eyes narrowing.

"That is quite correct." the silver haired man replied loftily, as if Genesis' opinion really didn't matter at all, though his eyes went from a deep sea green to hard jade. "I do not care about the opinions of people who have just met me for 3 seconds and know nothing about me, yet are arrogant enough to judge me already."

"Ah," Genesis scoffed lowly, "Well I certainly was not the one walking around like the earth belonged to me all alone. Even though I have to admit I like doing that as well. But never mind… it's not like you would care at all, right?" His lips twitched into a fake smile as he stressed the word 'care' for Sephiroth to get what he meant.

Taking his backpack, he walked towards the sleeping area, head held high, trying to get rid of the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would beat ShinRa's greatest SOLDIER, even if it was the last thing he'd do.

"There is nothing wrong with the way I walk," Sephiroth replied, inwardly frowning. Who did this brat think he was? He ought to have respect for his superiors, because in all actuality Sephiroth was of higher rank (and it wasn't his fault that his superiors had somehow forgotten to mention that Sephiroth had to take this class to make SOLDIER First Class and that he was now stuck with insolent peasants! And besides, he was walking normally!)

"And by the way, this is my bed. Take the other one."

Sephiroth didn't know why, but he felt that he had to prove his point here (namely being the one who was in charge) and he would teach Genesis to bow to the proper discipline. It was a power game, a thing Sephiroth usually despised and was far above, but for some reason this guy just managed to push his buttons so, which in turn annoyed Sephiroth even more. He never lost his cool, something he was infamous for, but he sure as hell wouldn't let Genesis get the better of him!

"Nah, of course you walk normally, like every other normal human being." Genesis threw a daring smirk over his shoulder before he slumped down on the bed Sephiroth had just pointed out was his.

"And what if I like this one better than the other and want to have it?"

He bent down to open the leather straps of his high black boots, pealing them off his legs before settling on his bed, crossed legged and definitely not willing to move an inch from here even if it was just to annoy the silver haired SOLDIER. During the past few minutes, Genesis had developed an odd, suicidal desire to make Sephiroth show emotion, to make him loose his cool, aloof attitude and to prove everyone wrong. He wanted to know that he was indeed only human, even though a lot of people doubted it. Oh yes, and the one emotion Genesis had always been able to provoke easily was anger.

'Perhaps this is not the best idea,' a tiny voice in his head told him, pointing out that Sephiroth still was superior to him, not only by rank but also strength and knowledge. Normally, Genesis valued his life enough not to risk it so easily, but he doubted Sephiroth would kill him just because of a little teasing.

"Then you have a problem."

Sephiroth' s tone was flat, hard and utterly unamused.

"I will get my personal belongings now. When I come back I expect my bed to be empty."

The SOLDIER turned and abruptly left the room, barely able to conceal his rising temper. It was due to his iron will that Genesis wasn't a bloody smear on the wall by now. That guy was just too insolent for his own good, which actually reminded Sephiroth a lot of a particular little someone...

Once he was outside the room he inwardly sighed and shook his head, the tension bleeding slowly from his body. It was replaced by another kind of annoyance: mild frustration at himself for letting his buttons be pushed.

As he walked down the sun flooded and noisy halls the young man swore to himself that he wouldn't let that happen again. In fact, it was quite unusual for anyone to get under his skin these days and to think that this loudmouthed brat had managed... He must be overworked.

Grabbing his stuff that had neatly been placed by the door of his beloved single room, and that now obviously housed another very happy inhabitant (judging from the loud cheering that wafted through the closed door), Sephiroth went back to his unloved roommate, his back straight, shoulders stiff and lips pressed into a thin, fiercely determined line.

While Sephiroth got his stuff Genesis actually considered getting up and being out of Sephiroth's way once he was back because the man had seemed deadly serious about it. But if he backed away now, he would ensure that Sephiroth would never see him as equal. And that was the last thing he wanted to risk.

So he stayed where he was, inwardly afraid of his roommate's temper and the situation to come.

Genesis drew his duffel bag closer, emptying it on the bed and making a mess before he roamed through it and finally got his hands on his most prized book, Loveless. Oh, it would have a special place, right next to the bed on the nightstand, so he could read it whenever he felt like it.

Only moments later he heard the door open and close again. He looked up at once, his gaze partly mocking, yet partly afraid of what was to come.

Sephiroth did not look amused and his eye twitched, a vein popping on his forehead when he entered their room and found that Genesis had not only not left his bed but on the contrary, had littered it with his rubbish.

Flexing his fingers the silver haired man resisted the sheer, overwhelming urge to grab him by the collar and shake the dumbness out of hi-

Or maybe not.

Suddenly he found himself standing close to the red-haired brat and before he knew it, he had the boy in his grasp and had flung him to the bed opposite his.

Sephiroth blinked, but then he straightened and relaxed the scowl that had crept onto his usually smooth features.

Well.

It was the brat's own fault.

It wasn't like Sephiroth hadn't warned him or anything. Turning back to HIS bed Sephiroth started to let Genesis´ belongings follow, throwing them over his shoulders, one after another.

"It seems that you are not only annoying but painfully slow as well," he intoned coolly as item after item flew at the redhead, landing on the mattress with soft thuds. As his fingertips brushed over old leather he stopped though, taking a closer look.

Loveless?

Sephiroth snorted.

Genesis wasn't quite able to follow what Sephiroth was doing, totally stunned by the silver-haired's act of violence. He sat there, on his – no, Sephiroth's – bed, blinking in a confused manner and without really noticing the other man's actions before his brain was able to comprehend the situation.

Sephiroth had… thrown him… across the room… from the bed… HIS bed. Sephiroth was throwing his precious stuff, Genesis' most precious items… Who did the arrogant dumbass think he was? Treating Genesis like this…

Gritting his teeth together, he tried to keep his temper, tried to not worsen the situation, but when Sephiroth dared to touch his Loveless, dared to laugh about it, dared to even look at it, he snapped.

"If I were you, I'd lay that down… or you'll regret it, Sephiroth…" he said lowly, spitting out the other's name with venom, a dangerous tone lingering in his voice, his eyes ablaze with anger and annoyance. Genesis stood up and crossed the room with long, graceful strides, reaching out to grab Loveless from the swordsman's hands.

Sephiroth turned, very slowly lifting a silver brow. He was the very image of Unimpressed.

"Is that so," he almost drawled, taking a perverted delight in withdrawing the book at the last second and holding it out of Genesis' reach like a big bully stealing candy from a small, crying child.

Not that he would have minded seeing the brat cry; there was a sadistic streak tightly interwoven with Sephiroth's personality and it always showed when he was stressed. (which was why the people surrounding him usually tried to keep his stress levels down with supreme effort)

"I'll tell you what…" His lips stretched into a thin smile that didn't reach his eyes as he leaned a bit forward, again as if he was talking to a child. He could feel the rising ire within Genesis hit his skin in hot waves and Sephiroth greedily absorbed it.

"…If you promise to be a good boy now and stay on your side of the room, I might consider returning this heap of drivel back to you."

Genesis gaped at him for a moment, disbelief written all over his face when Sephiroth held the book out of his reach, telling him to behave like a fucking dog. He was taking Loveless – Loveless of all of Genesis' possessions – from him and he was obviously enjoying the red-head's anger.

"If you promise to return it to me now, I might consider letting you live for a moment longer," the shorter man snapped, reaching out one last time to grab the book Sephiroth was holding in his – according to Genesis – filthy hands, that were definitely not allowed to touch Loveless at all.

"That is extraordinarily generous of you, but I think I will decline." He still held the book, flicking it open with his thumb, and browsed the pages briefly with his gleaming eyes.

_"When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end  
The goddess descends from the sky  
Wings of light and dark spread_ _afar_  
_She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_ " he recited, his deep voice dripping with unconcealed mockery. Then he snapped it closed.

"On second thought it really isn't worth the drama. Go fetch, boy." And with that he threw the book out of the askew window, not smiling anymore.

At all.

tbc?

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**So, what do you think so far? Was that something you would like to read more of? Please tell us^^**

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Sephiroth: BMIK

Genesis: Mary L. Murderprincess

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**Disclaimer**: All characters mentioned in this fanfiction belong to SquareEnix and we are not making any money from it because we are nice people and no one would pay us anyways.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello dear readers^^ Thank you very much for your interest and all the reviews and alerts and favs! Here is the second chapter, again betaed by the wonderful aubrieta, enjoy!  
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**Warnings: Smut ahead :3**

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**Chapter 2**

Genesis was just one moment away from jumping right after the book that was flying out of the window. He could imagine it dancing in the winds, before it came crashing down to the hard, unforgiving concrete of Midgar. Occupied with this, he forgot to be furious. But not for long.

"Are you fucking nuts, you worthless, little shit?" he shrieked, his hand colliding with the right side of the silver-haired's face in a blur of a motion.

"I swear to the Goddess, if anything happened to that book you will die a long and painful, fucking death, you bastard!" he ground out angrily, turning to storm after Loveless and to rescue what was left of it. He would deal with Sephiroth later.

But first things first!

Sephiroth blinked, adjusting his jaw. It had been a while since he had been bitch slapped. And never by a guy either. Had this brat seriously made it into SOLDIER? Though Genesis had quite the punch, Sephiroth had to hand it to him.

Watching the boy running after his precious book, Sephiroth flopped down on _his_ bed, hands interlaced behind his head, elbows spread out wide. He wasn't overly worried about the death threats that had been spat his way.

When Genesis arrived at the pavement, he couldn't find Loveless anywhere. He knew it had landed somewhere around here, but where? Close to crying he searched around like a mother hen who had lost her babies.

By the time he had finally found his most sumptuous belonging, he was ready to burst with repressed ire and hysteria. Not only had he nearly lost Loveless, but Sephiroth had fucking thrown it out of the window! He was going to pay for that.

Storming back through the halls of the academy, causing people to stand aside for him as he passed , seething with wrath, he didn't even notice Angeal, standing in front of his door.

"Hey Gen. What-"

"Get out of my way, Angeal," he growled, nearly smashing the door off its hinges in one motion, walking loudly into the room with Loveless pressed tightly against his chest. Seemingly calm, he laid it gently onto his desk, only his rigid stance hinting at how angry he really was, before he turned towards Sephiroth.

"What now? Cat got your tongue?" Sephiroth asked, pointedly calm, with a sidelong, listless glance at his room mate. Inwardly he was anything but inattentive, though he appeared like a big, lazy cat. Genesis would most certainly not land another hit.

The redhead didn't really know if he should just explode or just be surprised by Sephiroth's obvious ignorance of the situation. Perhaps Sephiroth was just challenging him into doing something, anything; perhaps to even unknowingly help him to get his single room back. It was certainly clear to Genesis that Sephiroth hated sharing a room as much as he did.

But he wouldn't back off now. The silver-haired pest had thrown his beloved book out of the window like it was rubbish… Loveless, of all of his possessions, and Genesis was furious, even though he didn't really know how to show it.

"Certainly not, you bastard." He growled, fisting his hands, tensing his whole composure. "Who do you think you are? Throwing other people's stuff around like the world was all yours. But I forgot, the world _is_ all yours, right? Because you are so great and uuh… the fucking, great Sephiroth." He snorted out the last words, rolling his eyes to get straight to his point. He knew he was going to lose if it came down to a physical fight, but until then… he could at least win verbally.

"Quite eloquent, aren't we?" Sephiroth's lips twitched upwards into a sardonic smile that carried far more bitterness than he would have been comfortable showing had he been aware. Just what the hell was he doing here? He was bullying a little country bumpkin...

Genesis stood no chance against him, that much was clear, and despite the fact that the redhead was a major annoyance, it wasn't really his fault that things had gotten out of hand.

Sephiroth had to vent his frustration on something else; and that decision was only underpinned by a shadow looming by their door now. It was probably one of Genesis´ friends coming over to have a look and Sephiroth couldn't risk that word was spreading about his, admittedly, inept behavior. He was supposed to be a role model and it didn't matter if the pressure was wearing on him or not.

Genesis was right, at this very moment Sephiroth wasn't great at all. He was pitiful and spiteful at most.

"Well then, take the bed. I don't care, really." With a swift and smooth movement he got up from the mattress and walked towards his duffel bag to retrieve a towel.

"I am going to have a shower," he then announced, wanting a plausible reason to get away from Genesis, who in turn gaped at the vanishing frame that went past him to go to the bath rooms.

He couldn't believe it, he didn't _get_ it. One moment, Sephiroth was angry and annoyed, willing to fight with a lowly Third Class about something stupid like a bed to sleep in, and the next he was calm, collected and as aloof as ever again.

Genesis' gaze fell on Angeal, who still stood in the door frame and looked like they had just explained the origin of mankind to him, and suddenly it struck him. Sephiroth was not actually prone to extreme mood swings, in this case he just wanted to prevent others from knowing that he was in fact, human, that he had a temper and emotions like every other human being. The red-haired SOLDIER asked himself why this was, and why it was that Sephiroth had seemed so eager to lose this mask in front of him.

Sighing, he turned to face Angeal fully, crossing his arms behind his head and relaxing his stance.

"Not a word… please." Now he felt bad for behaving like the spoiled brat everybody told him he was. And, he knew he had to face one of Angeal's famous speeches again… how very boring.

Angeal sighed heavily, good-natured resignation playing on his mature features.

"Genesis..." he started like a parent, almost shaking his head to complete the image. "Apparently you are aware that your behavior was inappropriate enough to demand a lecture- just why can't you behave from the very beginning?" Angeal leaned with his back against the windowsill, his shadow falling onto the worn, wooden panels. The question was quite pointless, because he had asked it so many times now that he didn't expect a fruitful answer that would lead them anywhere.

Genesis was just impulsive and hot-headed, always had been. And Angeal was there, as always, to reprimand and support him.

"It would save us a lot damage control." He crossed his arms over his chest, eying his friend dubiously. "What did you do this time anyways?"

"I didn't do anything!" Genesis bristled at the accusation, uncrossing his arms from behind his head and turning around to eye his friend warily. "Sephiroth was just being himself around me. In all his highness and aloofness and treating me like a fucking inferior. And you will have to wait a fucking, long time for me to say I'm sorry for bringing him down to earth again."

He didn't want a lecture from Angeal, but he knew it would come. It always came, no matter what he said. If he said he was sorry, he was getting a lecture about thinking things through before acting. (And)If he didn't say he was sorry, he was lectured about how to treat other people nicely. He was fed up with it, even though he gave Angeal credit for trying at all.

"Language..."

Angeal couldn't help it, he had said it before he even noticed. Genesis was so delicate and posh looking, but he could swear like a real trooper. The other boy sighed again.

"Look, why don't you just try to be a bit more... subdued for once? This is a great chance for you, actually. If you prove yourself to be worthy this could be a great step for your career. You are lucky to share a room with someone so influential and well known." He didn't want to point out what might be in store for Genesis if he really managed to tick Sephiroth off; the man could not only boost their careers but crush them before they had even started...

Genesis' only reaction to Angeal's rather surprisingly short lecture was a deprecatory noise, even though he did get what his friend had tried to point out to him. It was indeed more than foolish to mess with Sephiroth , of all the people Genesis could possibly take on , especially when Sephiroth obviously seemed to be short-tempered around him. This was a volatile mixture, but Genesis couldn't help but be annoyed and annoying around the man– which he would never say out loud. He also couldn't agree with Angeal, he wouldn't give Angeal the satisfaction of being right when it came to his own moods.

"He should just stop being a dick around me, then I'd stop being a dick around him, that's how it goes," he answered, wondering whether he should really take the bed Sephiroth had initially claimed as his, or the bed he had been thrown onto. The mere thought of that made him growl in resentment.

"If you say so." Angeal didn't feel like arguing anymore; Genesis was old enough and maybe he had to figure it out himself. They were not children anymore, they had become adults and Genesis may have to learn the hard way now. If he made it here, he could make it anywhere. If he didn't... well, he would have learned his lesson at least.

The SOLDIER second class threw a glance at his watch and pushed himself off the wall, walking towards the door. "By the way, you have only twenty minutes left to shower. We're on rotation, half an hour for each room every day."

Genesis paused in his scowling at that, blinking at Angeal with a gaze torn between horror and disbelief. "WE ARE WHAT?" he shrieked, jumping at the level of his own voice. ( which was totally masculine, duh.)

"You gotta be kidding, Angeal. No fucking way!" Without noticing, Genesis started pacing around like a freaked hen, his head screaming,'Emergency! Showering time in danger!'

Having been raised in Banora by his filthy-rich parents, Genesis was indeed spoiled. He was accustomed to having a bathroom of his own with a big shower and a tub that was big enough to swim in. He had had all the luxury one could imagine and giving that up was something he was definitely not willing to do, even though he knew he had to make cuts here and there. He would have this shower and twenty minutes was already way less than the time he normally took.

"Oh shit…" he gritted out, collecting his clothes and towels, grimacing at their scratchy texture while heading towards the shower. "See ya later, Angeal," he called over his shoulder before sprinting towards the showers.

Arriving at the bath room took him only a few seconds and surprisingly, he wasn't even out of breath, even though he had run quite a distance. He raised his hand to the door handle and stopped. He certainly did not want to shower with Sephiroth he suddenly realized. He didn't know why, but the idea of being in a shower with Sephiroth,where nothing but small droplets of water separated their skin,had him blushing with embarrassment. He shuddered – in disgust, he tried to tell himself.

"Okay come on, you wanna shower so you gotta shower now," Genesis told himself and opened the door, closing it right behind himself as quickly as possible.

Sephiroth felt the cold breeze slipping through the opened door and shivered. "Close the door, would you?" he snapped, glaring at Genesis over his shoulder.

The slender young man quickly undressed. Shivering and holding his towel in front of his private parts, he didn't look comfortable at all. Observing Genesis' discomfort kind of placated Sephiroth a bit and he turned his face back into the lukewarm, thin stream of water that dripped from the shower head. Apparently Genesis wasn't used to public showers. Well, they weren't really public as there were only two shower heads in the tiny cubicle and it was barely big enough for two half grown men to fit into. It'd get a bit cramped, which wasn't something Sephiroth particularly enjoyed either.

To distract himself he closed his eyes and started to soap his wet mane, pulling it over his shoulder and rubbing the shampoo in.

"I suppose this is your first time in a shared shower." It wasn't really a question.

"Yeah, so?" Genesis answered suspiciously, trying to hide his abnormal shyness around other people – Sephiroth – in shared showers. The room was even smaller than he had feared it might be and Sephiroth, as it was, already occupied over half of the space. Genesis couldn't even be angry with him, it was not that the silver-haired man was doing it on purpose – oh, and if he had been, Genesis would now throw an epic tantrum. But the red-head wasn't all too tall or wide, so he assumed that they would both fit, somehow. However, it did involve standing next to his newly found enemy and stripped to the buff, literally. Oh, he was beginning to hate ShinRa already.

'Oh go for it, nothing to be embarrassed about,' he told himself. Pulling together his last pieces of courage before laying the towels safely into a corner with his clothes, he headed for the spray.

"There's rules," Sephiroth enlightened the other haughtily. Actually, there were no official rules, but this was the first time that he had had to share a shower with someone that was not a family member, spoiled, prized student that he was. He decided that since he was Genesis´ superior, he could make up rules as he pleased.

"First: keep to your side of the shower."

"Second: use your own stuff."

"Third: Keep to your side of the shower."

He lifted a brow.

"I think you should have gotten that part by now, but just to emphasize: Fourth: Keep. To. Your. Side. Of. The. Shower." He threw a sidelong glance at the redhead from above before he concentrated back on his hair.

"Fifth: no talking."

"And finally sixth: keep your eyes to your side of the shower."

At the last statement he demonstratively turned to an angle where his private parts were hidden from view while at the same time demonstratively reaching for them to get them soaped as well.

Genesis couldn't help but snort at that.

"And how, almighty Sephiroth, should I do that when you are using half of my shower space as well? I might be lean, but not thin as a stick if you haven't noticed. And secondly… as if you, of all people, had something I wanted to look at." He grinned, while shaking his head.

"I hadn't thought you'd be that prude… geesh, not every human being wants to jump your bones, you know." He raised one eyebrow at Sephiroth before turning to let the water run down his already cooled down body.

"Oh really?" Sephiroth had turned in the blink of an eye, his strong hand pinning Genesis with his back against the cold tiles. The scowl he displayed was an indication that he was not amused. And he had so HAD it with the runt.

"This is not about anyone jumping my bones but about respect, of which, I am sure, you haven't heard a damn thing!"

When he'd snapped, Sephiroth hadn't been aware that they were naked and that the space in the shower was very restricted. It hit him now, as skin rubbed against skin, as they were now close enough that he could feel Genesis' body heat.

Sephiroth's fingers clamped around a bony shoulder and held, and he didn't back down, but narrowed his eyes to glare down at the redhead. "Do you think you can just shut the hell up now?"

Genesis was too surprised to react properly at first; Sephiroth had moved so fucking fast that he hadn't even seen his silver hair moving. He gulped down the lump that threatened to build up in his throat, but refused to accede or show fear.

"I cannot bring myself to respect somebody who did not earn it. You think you're every centimeter of the god ShinRa tries to make you, but you're not." He growled lowly, his eyes glistening with wrath. "And now, let go of me, or I'll kick your motherfucking ass."

Genesis was as irate as Sephiroth was, but he was far less controlled than the other, struggling against the tight hold on his shoulder that had already started to hurt. A small voice in the back of his mind registered that Sephiroth's skin was nicely smooth and wet with the spraying water.

„_You,_ kick _my _ass?" Sephiroth gave a hollow, menacing laugh. He was furious all right. He didn't even know why. But what he did know was that this was the perfect opportunity to transfer some of his irrational anger and teach the brat some manners.

"I'll show you how to respect your superior properly," he growled lowly and before Genesis knew it his wrists were pinned above his head and a slick, demanding tongue infiltrated his mouth roughly and relentlessly.

The laugh made Genesis shiver involuntarily and evoked the thought that perhaps – maybe – he had taken this a little too far. He couldn't even react when Sephiroth 'attacked' him – there was simply no other word for it. Preparing to have the shit beaten out of him, closing his eyes and mentally setting up for physical harm, he was quite surprised – mildly expressed – when he felt the other shift, when he felt his muscular body press against his, when he felt that agile tongue plunder his mouth.

A confused sound escaped the red-head when he finally got a hold on the situation, snatching his eyes open and blinking at the man in front of him. It was then that he fully comprehended what was going on and began to struggle against the other's hold with all his strength.

Genesis finally got far enough away from Sephiroth's mouth – just a few centimeters though – to speak.

"What the fuck?" He panted out. This had come quite … unexpectedly, to say at least.

"Shut. Up." Sephiroth growled, and took care of the matter himself by sealing Genesis´ lips with his own. Surprisingly the redhead tasted quite sweet, despite his potty mouth. And his attempts to struggle free did nothing but heighten Sephiroth's desire, as their bodies pressed closer, as the friction roused his skin and made it tingle. A pleasant warmth had settled in his belly and slowly spread to his loins.

The floor was slippery with soap and water, as was their skin, but Sephiroth tightened his grip around Genesis´ wrists and let his free hand wander over the boy's smooth chest towards a rosy nipple, teasing it into hardness with a few, not exactly gentle, pinches.

Genesis mewled lowly into the other's mouth, and despite one side of his brain telling him that this was not acceptable, that this was not right; his body did not seem to care. The agile fingers trailing over his wet and aroused skin, those enticing lips touching his in the most sensual way; it all combined to make him a willing submissive, and it didn't even annoy him all too much.

The pinches made his body shiver and writhe, while he opened his mouth to the deliciously nimble tongue, tasting the splendid flavor that seemed to be just Sephiroth's alone. He wanted to have his arms free to move, but this time not to push him away, but to pull him closer, to grind against him, to create more friction between their glistening bodies. Genesis gasped into the other's mouth when his hand went lower, leaving his nipples behind to explore new territory.

"Fuck," he murmured lowly, closing his eyes to mere slits while letting his tongue play over the silver-haired's beautiful mouth.

Sephiroth smirked against Genesis´ lips, licking brazenly over the boy's flushed cheek while his fingers trailed lower, dipping into a slit belly button and brushing over a sharp hipbone. The SOLDIER second class captured the redhead's delicate earlobe between his white teeth and pulled at it.

"Is that an invitation?"

His breath ghosted over Genesis´ neck, making the fine, little hairs stand up. His own member hardened considerably, enlarging as it was pumped full of blood and poking into Genesis' side. Sephiroth certainly wouldn't mind some relief...

Genesis didn't know why, but it was certain that Sephiroth was doing a good job in seducing him right here on the spot. The barely there touches of his fingers were driving the red-head insane, and his all too deep and aroused voice was doing nothing but add to the seduction. It was probably the most erotic thing that he had ever experienced in his young life – which was absolutely no surprise if you considered growing up in Banora. Even though the side of him that wanted to get laid screamed at him for asking, he did.

"Where does… the sudden change… come from?" Interrupted by breathless pauses he managed to breath it out, while pressing his side teasingly against Sephiroth's impressive hard-on.

"Why, do you want me to stop?" Sephiroth asked back, evading the question. He shivered slightly at the pressure on his cock and pressed Genesis closer to the wall, finally making contact with the boy's erection. His fingers curled around the warm, slick flesh and squeezed, before they pumped up and down, pulling back thin skin.

Genesis opened his mouth only a small gap wide, just for a shuddering breath to escape from it. It did not matter what _he_ wanted, his mind had stopped functioning and his body was screaming for Sephiroth's touch, his skin on fire, burning with the other's caresses. And...he had never felt that helpless in his entire life… but he had also never cared this little about the loss of control.

Genesis whimpered lowly, his face contorting with suppressed pleasure and his hips bucking into the fondling hand. He finally managed to shake his head rather violently in denial of Sephiroth's question.

"Hm, thought so," Sephiroth hummed lowly, his own voice heavy and sonorous, his breathing accelerated and excited. Thick droplets fell from his lashes as he slowly blinked and brought their bodies closer together, all the while keeping up with his stroking movements. Genesis' dick felt almost silky in his hand, and it was hard, pulsing against his palm. The silver haired man flicked his thumb over the sensitive tip and the skin slid, speeding up.

"Do you want me to make you cum?"

The water rushed past them, drowning out almost all noises, but to them their panting and sighs were very audible. There wasn't much time before the next group would arrive to have a shower...

Before Genesis could even think about it, he found himself nodding frantically, breathing out a pathetic sound, much like a whine for more. His hands tingled with the need to touch and feel and he tried to struggle against the still strong hold on them.

"Let me touch you…" He moaned, his body shivering and goosebumps appearing on his skin because of Sephiroth's actions. Genesis found himself grinding against the wet, but warm, body in front of him in the end, making lowly, needy noises in the back of his throat. He hadn't even known that he could be this responsive to this kind of stimulation.

Sephiroth loosened his hold on Genesis' wrists, a bit hesitant. This actually wasn't supposed to be about his own pleasure, but teaching the redhead a lesson in respect and servitude. It seemed that Genesis was a fast learner, what with the way he had become so deliciously obedient and with only a hint of petulance that made him ever so adorable... The older youth stopped his train of thought right there, shaking his head inwardly.

"Now careful there, little soldier," he muttered as he watched Genesis' hand close in on his erection, though he bared it willingly. There was nothing wrong with getting a little fun out of this for himself as well, Sephiroth decided. It had been a hard, disappointing day and he deserved it.

Genesis could barely restrain himself from moaning at the touch of the slickly, pulsing flesh in his hand, hard from what Sephiroth had been doing to his body and filled with the need that obviously longed for release. He pressed against the taller man with the length of his whole lean body, his breath whispering over the other's ear and neck.

"I can quite handle myself… and I think I can do so with you, too." Even though his breathing was shallow and ragged, he managed to murmur those words with the seductive, yet self-contained undertone typical of him. Genesis' hands moved on their own accord, caressing Sephiroth's hard-on with the diligence that he had always offered to his lovers, though perhaps not with _as_ much eagerness as this.

"I certainly hope so as well," Sephiroth breathed, his heart beating faster as he was gripped and pulled oh-so-deliciously. All right, so Genesis knew what he was doing, squeezing Sephiroth's cock just at the right times and places, letting it slip through his palm easily and skillfully. The SOLDIER second class couldn't help but wonder what other talents the redhead possessed, what that mouth of his could do besides spouting profanities and insults...

Their movements became faster and more desperate, a bit uncoordinated even as they continued to jerk each other off. Sephiroth sealed the other boy's lips with his again as he felt both of them getting close, he didn't want any sound to betray their activities. Pressing closer against Genesis he put more force into his strokes, rubbing the other's pulsing cock till precum leaked heavily and finally, he felt the body against him stiffen and shudder.

Orgasm hit the red-head like a tidal wave, drowning him in a sea of ecstasy and lust. Without noticing, he changed his grip on Sephiroth's cock, and hearing how the other moaned into his mouth, he guessed it was the right twist after all.

Genesis felt his body shivering uncontrollably between the wet tiles at his back and the svelte body in front of him. He moaned weakly, the light sound swallowed by the silver's agile tongue, as he used his free hand to hold on to the other's body. His knees felt so feeble that he thought he'd collapse without Sephiroth to hold on to.

A powerful tremor went from Sephiroth's scalp and down his spine and toes as his seed spilled over Genesis' naked, wet skin, instantly washing away in the cooling water. There was a moment of utter bliss in which the silver haired young man neither heard nor saw anything, where he was consumed by the orgasm that flooded every fiber of his being. Eventually it subsided, smoothly and constantly, leaving him pleasantly exhausted.

There were noises in front of the door that alarmed him. He let go of Genesis, turned under the shower to let the last traces of their actions rinse away, and then he stepped out from under the shower wordlessly, grabbing a towel.

The door opened, an angry SOLDIER third class grunting, "What the fuck man, you're long-..." When he saw who it was in front of him he gaped, shrieked an apology and quickly closed the door, waiting outside like a good boy.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes, rubbed his body dry and put on his clothes. "Hurry up," he ordered over his shoulder and gathered his belongings.

Genesis giggled weakly at the scene in front of him. The poor guy had paled completely, retreating as fast as he could, not to rouse Sephiroth's wrath. How pathetic. Brushing his wet hair out of his face, Genesis gave up on gathering his stuff to finish showering. It was most definitely too late for that.

"You seem to have quite a thing for scaring poor Thirds, am I correct?" he asked into a silence that was only interrupted by the soft tapping of the dying shower's water. He actually didn't want to talk to Sephiroth just now, as his body was nicely heavy and pleased, his brain still misty from the – mind-blowing if he might say so – experience he had just shared with the silver-haired warrior. Plus, he still hadn't caught up with the weirdness of the situation.

He picked up a towel, dried himself and then quickly got dressed, not wanting to spend one second more in the foggy, small room.

"It is a tradition," Sephiroth replied, folding his towel and reattaching his armor. His hair was still moist, but he had no time to blow dry it now.

"Every Third grade has to suffer through it and every Second Class has the privilege of making their life a living hell."

Of course he didn't mention that he found that to be a very dubious tradition, but that was how things were here and Sephiroth didn't really partake in the bullying. He simply wanted to be left alone.

Genesis just raised his eyebrow at that, not really liking what Sephiroth had just said. The other didn't seem like the kind of person to take part in such a 'game'. What a game anyways, Genesis didn't find it funny at all.

As the silver haired man stepped out of the bathroom the two SOLDIERs saluted hurriedly, avoiding eye contact with Sephiroth, but the man didn't care either way.

Shaking his head, Genesis grabbed his stuff, drying his hair only rough-and-readily before he pushed past the next two SOLDIERS, who had hurried inside the moment Sephiroth had left. They sent him dirty looks, but Genesis did not care. He just wanted to return to their room, lie down and do nothing at all.

When he entered through the door, he realized that the situation would be awkward from now on - even more than it had been before. Quietly the red-head dumped his stuff on his bed, not caring that half of it tumbled out of the bag onto the soft cushion of his sleeping place.

"So" he began, but soon forgot what he had wanted to say originally. He raised his head only to meet Sephiroth's rather disturbing emerald gaze.

"So," Sephiroth replied, laying down as well and folding his arms under his head. "We should go to sleep."

He only briefly glanced at his cell to set the alarm to 4.30 am before he put it on the night stand and closed his eyes. Due to the reports of other second-class SOLDIERS he had a general idea of how this class was structured and what would await them in the morning.

Tomorrow they were supposed to be on a 'surprise' mission to estimate how well each pair sharing a room was able to cooperate and finish a non-specified task. It was some kind of male bonding ritual that Sephiroth could very well have done without, and would have, if only he had gotten his single room. But he was too tired to bitch about it now and besides, he was used to missions.

How bad could it possibly get anyway?

Tbc?

* * *

**Review replies:**

BMIK/ _Mary L. Murderprincess_ replying

**BoomChick:** Haha, well I think Genesis can be quite the destroyer (later on), but right now he is only a lowly Third Class ;P His bitch slaps are infamous though! I'm glad you like it and yes, the options are endless so we hope you like the way we will go with it^^ _Teheh, well certainly Gen is kick ass in Berzerker mode, especially when it comes to Loveless XD But the story would have a quite abrupt ending if Genesis was killing Seph now XD (not that he does not deserve it though) Thanks a lot for your comment _

**xXSaltzXx:** Thank you very much! We love short reviews when they are positive like that ;D _Thankies :D May the yaoi force be with you, young Padawan!_

**Mako Headrush:** Thank you! I think the tension will only get worse, haha XD Hope you will like the next chapters as well! _Everybody who loves Sephiroth and Genesis is also loved by me. Thankies for the comment :)_

**IA1979:** Maybe you felt the heat because it wasn't that far away :D Glad you enjoyed it so far! _ Tesh, tesh. There will be, I promise :D We'll do, thanks a lot :3_

**Aaron B: **Hahahahahaha, damn, I almost pissed my pants reading this! I would have joined you in the bitch slapping, but I am nowhere near getting close to Sephi yet (need more time for FFVII!) _Damn, I love you for this comment XD Awesome, that's the reaction we wanted ;D Thanks a lot for the comment!_

**We hope you liked it, push the little review button please and tell us what you think^^**_  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Genesis sighed deeply, letting his exhausted body melt into the soft mattress. He felt nicely limp and drifting, all of his thoughts focusing on the idea of following Sephiroth's advice and just going to sleep. It didn't take long until Genesis was asleep, the stress and the haste of the day catching up with him.

The next morning involved getting up way too early for Genesis' liking, getting yelled at by a superior asshole, being sent on a wannabe mission with Sephiroth, Angeal, and some guy Genesis didn't even bother remembering the name of.

They all had 5 minutes for packing and it sucked.

Sephiroth had his stuff ready since this was routine to him. Of course he had been on missions before, and compared to those, this here would be peanuts. Hence his mood was rather more listless than excited and all the buzzing, wired Third Class SOLDIERS only annoyed him. Out of consideration he kept his expression neutral though, and they generally had the decency to avoid him anyway (some of them had looked eager to ask him for advice earlier as they were instructed, but a well placed glare kept them at distance) .

Half of them wouldn't be here tomorrow anyway, having failed the test, and there was no reason to waste energy and barking at them to get lost.

The silver haired man glanced over his shoulders at his rummaging room mate, wondering if Genesis would pass the mission or...

If he didn't, then all of Sephiroth's 'unwanted room mate' problems would be solved in an instant.

Grabbing his cell phone and his sword (that was all he needed), Sephiroth straightened.

"Let's go."

When Sephiroth said that, Genesis was still struggling with getting on his armor, meanwhile fighting the sleepiness that was wavering at the edges of his eyes. It was firstly, way too early for any kind of activity, he secondly hadn't had any time to wake up at all… and he had forgotten the third point… This wasn't going to be a good day.

With all of the early morning preparations Genesis was surprised when he eventually found himself ready only a few seconds after Sephiroth– and they went to the elevator which was going to get them to the assignment room. Finally in the glassed box, he didn't feel all that tired anymore, moving had done its job in shaking him awake.

"Do you know anything 'bout the mission?" he asked the silver SOLDIER next to him.

"Maybe." Sephiroth leaned against the glass, head lowered, arms crossed before his chest, giving off that cold and distanced attitude again. Inwardly he was still contemplating if it was ethical to get rid of Genesis on the mission. He wouldn't hurt the guy of course, but if he reported Genesis to be utterly incompetent and unfit to be in SOLDIER, no one would doubt his words. Well, Genesis would certainly object noisily, but it was the word of a lowly Third Class against the famous Sephiroth's...

"You will have to wait and see for yourself, just like everybody else. Or are you so unqualified for this job that you need assistance?" he finally said, determined on that being the only comment he would make on the mission.

Genesis' eyebrow rose dangerously, but he just shook his auburn head with a grin spread widely over his face.

"Ah, so we're back to being Mr. I-know-everything-and-I-can-do-everything again, eh? And no, I don't need your almighty guidance during this mission, Sephiroth. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you." Rolling his eyes, he turned his head to meet the other's piercing, green eyes. He wouldn't back down on this, no matter what had happened yesterday and no matter how much he had thought that Sephiroth would change because of it. He was fed up with being treated like an unworthy dog.

He buried his anger deep inside, silently shooting daggers at Sephiroth with his eyes, when the elevator came to a halt to let them out. Oh, he was going to show this prick exactly what he was capable of.

"We will see about that," the man simply said, coolly. The elevator doors opened with a light sound and they stepped outside, walking to the courtyard where most of the other students were gathered already. Though the excitement was palpable the SOLDIERs Third Class stood in an orderly line waiting to get the sign to jog to the back of their truck, where they would jump on, sit down, and remain silent. When it was their turn, Sephiroth did not jog and no one really expected him to. One of the instructors graced him with a pitying, supportive look that said, "Just hang in there, the mission will be over soon enough..." and Sephiroth acknowledged it with the slightest inclination of his head. As he sat down in the back of the truck, Genesis following suit, the vehicle lurched forward, taking them into the forest and to the point from which they would start their mission.

The other recruits eyed the two of them curiously, one of them working up the courage to clear his throat and whisper into Genesis' direction,

"You are one lucky bastard, aren't ya, pal?"

It took Genesis some time to get what the guy was even talking about, but when he realized, all he could do was to send him an incredulous look that said, 'Dude, are you out of your mind?'

"That's one way to put it…" he replied with a sigh before crossing his arms in front of his chest, purposefully ignoring Sephiroth. Why was everybody so obsessed with the guy? There was nothing extraordinarily great or fabulous about him, not in the slightest bit.

The ride did take some time and Genesis was more than relieved when it was over. The sickening motion did its best to lessen his already low mood a little more. Now he was annoyed, great. First mission and the red-head could have chopped everybody's head off. This was going to be a fabulous day… at least he hoped it would only take one day.

When they all got off the truck, the first thing he did was to wake up his limbs that had fallen asleep only seconds after they had headed off.

The trees were high here, ordinary for a forest. What _wasn't_ all that ordinary was the light, there was practically no light that shone through the thick canopy of the trees surrounding them. It also struck Genesis as odd that there was no sound whatsoever. Having grown up in idle Banora he knew what true nature looked and sounded like. This was not as ordinary as it seemed at first sight.

"SOLDIERS, line up!" A harsh voice ordered. Genesis did his best not to roll his eyes when the instructor obviously eyed Sephiroth, telling him without words that _he_ wasn't meant _at all_.

"So… Rhapsodos!"

He turned his head to face the chunky guy in front of him, who seemed to have more muscles than brains.

"You will go with Sephiroth…" '_Oh please, as if I didn't know that!' _Your mission is to free this area of as many Kalm Fangs as possible since they've come disturbingly close to the edges of Midgar. They are no threat, but beware of any other enemies that are to be encountered…"

He gave the others a short briefing too, but Genesis didn't listen anymore. Kill a few monsters and get back to Midgar with some proof. A good practice in the end.

"Let's go," Sephiroth said, already turning to leave and not really waiting for Genesis to follow. This was such a waste of time and it was frustrating because he had important things to take care of, things that were a matter of heart to him and instead he was damned to crawl through this bloody forest with a hyperactive loudmouth and kill dogs!

His heavy boots stomped into the soft forest ground, the sounds swallowed by moss and a carpet of green leaves.

"The plan is as follows," he spoke up as they made their way deeper into the woods, his eyes routinely scanning the area for threats.

"You will find the monster's tracks, hunt it down, kill it, and we will go back. I expect it to take no longer than 20 minutes, anything else is unacceptable."

"No kidding..." Genesis murmured before stopping. "You know that the plan is to kill as many as possible, right? Not that I'm all too fond of staying in this damn forest one second too long, but I'm certainly not willing to collect all the shouting when we come back with only one freaking Fang."

And Genesis knew that he would be the one shouted at – even worse possibly. Sephiroth was ShinRa's golden boy, so no way they would mess with him in any way.

Sephiroth simply rolled his eyes. What else had he expected but words of objection.

"It doesn't matter how many of them you kill. The mission is to kill at least one. I will make sure that you will be left alone. Now let's get this over with, shall we?" There was just a slightly unnerved edge in his voice as he stopped at a clearing. He was aware that they were already being traced by the monsters themselves, which was excellent, because it saved them precious time.

"Oh, am I supposed to thank you now?" Genesis answered, rolling his eyes yet again and feeling the dull hints of a head ache. Too much eye rolling sucked.

"So I'm supposed to track those doggies down, kill one and carry the freaking thing back to Midgar? And what are you doing in the meantime, may I ask?"

In the back of his mind, there was a dim feeling of something being wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on what it was.

"I am bearing with your general presence and refraining from slicing you into neat little pieces," Sephiroth replied icily. Just why could this damn boy not do what was expected of him for _once_? Pinching the bridge of his nose and willing himself to calm down, Sephiroth added in a calmer, but still strained voice, "I do not need this exercise, which is why you will complete the mission alone. I am here for back-up and advice."

"How noble…" Genesis spat out, sending Sephiroth one look of utter wrath. "Let's get this over with; I'm fed up with listening to your shit…" And he was, this was hilarious. The silver haired warrior was already treated like the best fucking guy on earth, did he have to behave like he actually believed – no _knew_ that?

A sudden crackle forced Genesis out of his thoughts and in an instant he had unsheathed his sword, being forced back by the weight of something medium large and furry.

_Fangs!_

Sephiroth exhaled, holding his sword in hand in case it was needed, but he did not wield it, not for now anyways. Instead he watched Genesis taking care of the problem, and resolve it he did. His movements were fluid, smooth and precise, his swordsmanship was better than solid and he left very few openings. In all actuality, Sephiroth found that the redhead seemed to have quite a bit of potential, which surprised him. The Fangs were no match for him at all and within a few minutes the two, dog-like beasts were on the ground, dead and bleeding. Well, all the better.

"Cut their heads off," Sephiroth ordered neutrally, not showing whether he was impressed or not. "We are leaving."

Genesis sighed exaggeratedly and brushed the blood from his face. _Uh_, something had dropped into his mouth, how disgusting. He had to look like shit.

He did as Sephiroth told him, for once not arguing with him because it would do no good at all. At least the mission had ended quickly. He separated the heads from the torso and shouldered them.

"You know, for a forest it's disturbingly silent here…" he said in a hush when they had walked for a few minutes.

"Hm." Sephiroth had noticed as well and it alarmed him. There was no bird, no noises of animal feet in the bushes, no nothing... It was deadly quiet and the Fangs that had attacked them had seemed oddly nervous as well; not really as if they had targeted them to hunt them, but more so because they felt threatened.

"Just keep going and be quiet. Something is wrong here," he murmured, his eyes scanning the area over and over. A bad feeling started to curl in the pit of his belly and he gripped his sword tighter.

Hearing Sephiroth say that worried Genesis a little more. He knew that when a forest – any environment – was this quiet, something was at odds and mostly something really bad. He remembered the day when he and Angeal had gone to the fields, finding nothing more than a lifeless area. It had ended with them being attacked by a giant, grizzly bear-like mutation that had come from god knows where. He didn't really want to replay anything like that.

He followed Sephiroth quietly, turning his head from left to right rapidly to scan for any kind of movement. The hairs at the back of his head were sticking out and his skin was itching with misgiving.

All of a sudden there was a relatively loud (compared to the general silence) rustling from their left and, on instinct, Sephiroth lifted his sword, ready to strike with all his infamous might.

What came out of the bushes was no Dragon or Bahamut or other such fearful creature, but a stinking, blood drenched Angeal and his partner. He stopped dead in his tracks as a very sharp sword was pointed at his throat and held up his hands in surrender, until Sephiroth had time to realize who he was threatening. The silver haired man withdrew his weapon eventually, expression morose.

If this had been the source of the awkward silence in the forest they could have at least been done with it...

"I see you are finished with the mission as well," Angeal assessed quietly with a look at the heads that dangled from Genesis' shoulder. He had two of them as well.

"Something is wrong here," he lowered his voice even further, frowning.

When Genesis spotted Angeal he had hoped that his worry would ease at least a little, but it didn't at all. Hearing his friend confirm their dread, he actually felt even worse. There was something deep down in his mind, an instinct, that told him that danger couldn't be too far away.

Shaking off the disturbing feeling, he adjusted the heads again. "Let's get going… I don't want to encounter whatever hides in this damn forest…," he said quietly. There was no mocking in his voice, no mischief, just plain uneasiness. Shifting his weight he turned to start walking into the direction they had originally taken.

Angeal simply nodded and his partner was just about to open his mouth to say something when right behind him the earth shook and a giant tree fell down, almost squashing them.

"Watch out!" Sephiroth barked, rolling over the forest ground and using the force to jump back onto his feet gracefully, sword ready to attack. It was then that he noticed that what had almost fallen onto them was not a tree but something alive, something huge and moving.

"W-what is that?" the nameless guy shrieked, crawling over the dirt backwards, his weapon lost somewhere.

Sephiroth gritted his teeth. Of all the things to encounter!

"Midgar Zolom. Stay close, be quiet, and try to not die! It may not have seen us yet." This was highly unlikely, but there was still a chance Sephiroth wouldn't pass on. He fingered out his cell, quickly pressing in a number and then hissing, "This is SOLDIER Second Class Sephiroth, I report an emergency situation, I repeat: an emergency situation. I require immediate level 2 backup!" They would get his location automatically with the signal and he just hoped that whoever came made it in time.

Genesis leaped back to his feet, covered with dirt all over, and briefly checked if the others were okay. Angeal seemed quite terrified but fine, not a scratch as far as he could tell. Angeal's partner was unharmed, but in obvious shock. Sephiroth was painted in brown and greenish mud, but was fine too.

Observing the giant snake, he put his hands on his weapon, ready to unsheathe it if necessary, but he wasn't too pleased at the thought of fighting the Zolom. Genesis knew it could do some serious harm, and considering its height, that was no surprise really. Angeal and he had dived to the right, while Sephiroth and the other guy had gone to the left. So they were practically separated by the monster in front of them.

Icy shivers ran down Genesis' spine when the Zolom turned its head to face him and Angeal, its deadly eyes mostly focused on him. It eyed him for several seconds that felt more like millenniums to him. Angeal stood still next to him, but he felt the anxiety radiating from him.

When the Zolom let out an ear-battering roar, Genesis pulled his sword out on reflex. At that exact moment, 'nameless-guy' chose to lose his nerves. It was bound to happen, seeing as they were all only shiny and new Third Class Soldiers with no experience in the battle field at all; people had deserted for less. The bad thing was that, whereas staying and fighting till back up arrived left them with a 5% chance of survival, leaving and running meant certain death.

Cursing under his breath, Sephiroth abandoned the half started attack that would have given him a good shot at the beast's neck, turned mid-flight and went after the screaming guy, to push him out of the way of the Zolom's giant tail as it whipped at them. The guy flew into the bushes and vanished between the leaves, but the force of the collision, paired with the hit on the back from the beast's tail, sent Sephiroth crashing into a tree. The sword in his hand was knocked away and the dizzy soldier barely had time to recover as the giant, snake-like monster moved in on him.

"Oh damn," Genesis spat, grabbing his sword tighter. Either he stayed back and let Sephiroth do all the work – and possibly let him die (very possible!) – or he'd help him – perhaps loosing his own life (also very likely!). But when he heard the bloodcurdling sound of Sephiroth's body crashing into the tree, and saw the Zolom begin to attack him when he was defenseless, it didn't matter anymore.

"Angeal, go for its back, but keep an eye on the tale and the teeth, you hear me?" He shifted his stance.

"But…"

"Just do it already!" Genesis shouted, running towards the Zolom's head, to stop it from devouring Sephiroth whole. The impact of the crash left the Second breathless for a moment.

"What are you doing?" Sephiroth snapped, supporting his weight on the tree as he got up, blood running down his face and obscuring his vision. He needed to find his sword; a Zolom wasn't all that hard do defeat, he had done it before, but then he didn't have to take care of three rookies as well! And of course he didn't have any materia with him, as the premises was supposed to be secure and the mission should have been uncomplicated and easy! And where was the damn backup?

Sephiroth wiped over his face to clear his vision and staggered towards the monster because he could see his sword lying nearby.

Angeal meanwhile was having a hard time keeping the Zolom from crushing him with its tail. The beast was damn agile and swatted at him as if he were an annoying fly. Clearly, its main focus was on Genesis and Sephiroth on the ground, as it braced itself to attack again with its large tail, and even Angeal sticking his sword into the hard flesh didn't prevent the Zolom from letting its rear crash down.

"Saving your sorry ass, obviously!" Genesis hissed after the silver haired warrior, seeing in the corner of his eyes that the Zolom had initiated another attack, directed at Sephiroth again.

_It's like it wants to eliminate him first._ Genesis thought, gritting his teeth and heading for its head again. It wasn't the smartest move, he knew that. The head was the most dangerous area of the Zolom, but what could he do? The head _was_ the area that was attacking Sephiroth after all, who had finally gathered his sword again, able to defend himself now.

Checking on Angeal briefly, Genesis leaped into the air just above its head, missing the swift motion of its tail that nearly hit his head in mid-air. "Whoa, goddamn thing!"

He only hit the Zolom's skin briefly, but it wasn't nearly as hard as it looked.

Sephiroth braced himself, his grip tightening on his sword, his eyes narrowed. Then he leaped at the hissing beast, stabbing it in the opened mouth. The Zolom roared at the lethal stab and thrashed its head. Avoiding the poisonous spit that flew from the snake's long fangs as it tried to retreat, Sephiroth remained relentless, fiercely pushing his sword deeper into the wound until there was a gush of blood and the Zolom tumbled, its tail twitching, its massive head crashing into the ground where it lay still.

With shaking hands, Sephiroth withdrew his sword, exhaling deeply and then stumbling away from the dead animal. The adrenaline that had been pushing him slowly wore off and he looked around as if in a trance, searching for the others to see if they were all right. It was then that, behind him, the Zolom lifted its head one last time in its death struggle and shot forward, the razor sharp, venom dripping teeth aimed at the silver haired man.

Genesis had watched with something akin to awe when Sephiroth brought the Zolom down with just one deadly strike. Landing gracefully on the ground again, he had turned to at least congratulate the other, when he had noticed the slight twitch in the beast's body. No, not slight anymore! The Zolom had raised its head for one last attack, its fangs glistening with what he assumed was poison.

Without noticing how fast he moved, he pushed the oblivious Sephiroth out of the way, just moments before the fangs would have closed over his superior. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't thought as much as acted when pushing the SOLDIER Second Class out of the way. The giant didn't hesitate and now Genesis was its mark, the monster doing its best to cause a fatal wound. Bracing himself for the worst, he raised his sword vertically in front of him, waiting for the clash that was to come.

And it came, with full force. Even though he tried to defend himself, the pain-crazed Zolom managed to land a bite and pierce the skin of his right forearm, making Genesis hiss with suppressed rage and pain before his sword collided with one of its eyes, cutting through and further in. The sound was awful; even more awful was the noise it made while toppling to the ground.

Genesis' chest heaved rapidly, his veins pulsing with fear, ache and anger. He didn't even notice the wound directly, not until it started burning like someone had applied acid to it.

Angeal came running towards them, having seen from afar what was happening to his friend. He wasn't fast enough and a cold fist tightened around his heart when he saw that Genesis was under attack. From above came the sound of choppers as finally the back-up appeared, but way too late.

Before Angeal could reach his friend, Sephiroth got up and decapitated the Zolom with one swift strike and the head tumbled to the ground. Sephiroth didn't take his time to gloat at the monster but bent over his injured room mate. He was sweaty and bloody and very pale. A deep gash on his arm looked horribly painful.

"Don't move," Sephiroth instructed tightly, ripping off a bit of fabric from his uniform to quickly bind it around Genesis' upper arm to slow the blood flow and keep the poison from spreading. "Can you still hear me?" he asked the boy, ignoring his ringing cell.

Genesis wanted to tell him to 'fuck off', because he had been bitten but not been deafened, but he found himself unable to respond. Everything began to swim angrily, colors buzzing in and out of his vision. He nodded, even if just to make Sephiroth stop gripping his already aching arm so tightly.

"Loud'n'clearly…" He said lowly, squeezing his eyes together in a feeble attempt to lessen the blur. The edges of his vision began to darken, but he fought for consciousness.

"Some kick ass poison that is…" he mumbled, at least trying to keep himself awake. He knew that if he fell asleep now, it was quite likely that he would never wake up again and he had actually wanted to prevent that from happening too soon.

Sephiroth's expression grew concerned as the poison spread too quickly. Genesis didn't have mako infusions yet to make him resilient. There was no other way but to slap him in the face, hard, to make him stay awake. Meanwhile, Angeal had arrived by their side, but before he could ask concerned questions Sephiroth gave the man a sharp order to get a medic and some healing materia and Angeal complied.

As Angeal left, Sephiroth focused back on Genesis; it was mandatory that he not slip into a coma before the medics arrived, so Sephiroth had to keep him awake but he couldn't constantly slap him. Therefore he growled, hoping to appeal to Genesis' hotheaded side.

"That was the most stupid thing I have ever seen anyone do, soldier! It'll have severe consequences, so don't you dare escape punishment by kicking the bucket," he growled, pulling the bandage tighter and reaching for Genesis' pulse.

"Hey," Genesis weakly replied, using most of his strength to keep his eyes open. "I saved your sorry excuse for an ass here… and no slapping in the face… 's off limit!" His words were slurred, but at least talking pulled his thoughts away from the pain in his arm...or maybe the pain just faded because he was dying, which wasn't exactly a good thought either. He kept that thought to himself, watching the dead Zolom in front of them.

"Some fucking monster…"

Leaning against Sephiroth, he sighed. His body was using all its possible energies to fight the poison in his arm and he was having a really hard time even thinking straight.

"What's the poison doin'?"

"Obviously not shutting you up," Sephiroth replied, but he was relieved. He kept Genesis in a steady sitting position, trying not to move him. When Angeal came back with a medic he knelt down beside the little party and immediately applied an antidote that would take care of the more acute symptoms.

"We will transport him to the hospital now," the medic informed, as two of his colleagues appeared with a stretcher. Sephiroth nodded, waving them off as they wanted to take a look at him too. Angeal went with the group to go to the hospital while Sephiroth searched for the commanding officer to make his report.

tbc...?

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**And we thank danslalune for her wonderful and thorough betaing! *huggles*  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome to chapter 4! First off we want to thank you for all the amazing feedback you gave us, we were so happy you wouldn't believe it XD And on this note I also want to apologize for the late update, I had intended to upload the new chapter earlier but as some of you might already know there is some technical trouble at ff(dot)net right now. If you are a writer and cannot upload new chapters or stories send me a PM and I will tell you how to do it. Special thanks to soyna for figuring it out and to danslalune for the immensely helpful betaing!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 4**

How he survived the trip back to Midgar was a mystery to Genesis. The antidote caused his stomach to do silly flips and dances, plus the disturbing motion of the chopper was…bad, very bad. He did pass out once or twice during the flight, but his fear of actually dying was lessened by the diligent ministrations of the medics.

When he came back to himself, he was back in Midgar, dressed neatly in an all white hospital gown. His arm was aching dully, but Genesis assumed that it was due to the infusion that was dripping into the cannula next to him. Sighing, he closed his eyes again. How did he end up in the hospital after his first mission anyway? Must have been Sephiroth's fault, that was the easiest excuse.

"Ah, you are awake. How are you feeling?"

A nurse in a white dress smiled down at him. Genesis and his squat team were the hot topic at camp now, since they had killed a Zolom on their first mission and had even survived it! Granted they had had Sephiroth with them, but even then it was an achievement! The investigation into how this could have happened was still going on and ,so far, there had been no official statement. Angeal was being questioned right now though and eventually someone would come to ask Genesis about the incident as well.

"Fine, I guess…" Genesis answered reluctantly. He briefly tried to move the fingers of his right hand, but he couldn't feel them at all. No surprise considering the painkillers.

"Do you know how the others are doing?" he then asked, turning to face the nurse. Her smile was open and inviting, but being as it was, Genesis couldn't have felt more uncomfortable. How he hated hospitals, he simply wasn't used to them.

"They are fine," the nurse smiled, "Mister Hewley is reporting to his superiors right now and Sephiroth is being examined by his doctor as well." She took a glass of water and guided it to his lips, waiting for him to drink, because he needed a lot of fluid now. "There are guests waiting for you outside, I told them to leave since we didn't know when you would wake up, but they insisted on waiting...would you like to see them?"

Genesis gulped the water down like a good boy and leaned back with a sigh before raising his eyebrow.

"Guests uh…?"

He replayed what the nurse had said before. Sephiroth was with a doctor, so it couldn't be him. Angeal was being questioned, so it couldn't be him either. There weren't many people who would visit him, apart from those two perhaps. There were no others that he could think of, actually. "Sure, why not?" he said, shrugging. Whoever was visiting him, it couldn't be half as bad as boredom.

The nurse set the glass aside and helped Genesis to sit up before she left the room, probably to get Genesis' mysterious guests. For a while nothing happened and the room was quiet, but eventually the sound of unfamiliar voices began to waft in from the hallway.

"I don't wanna!"

"C'mon Kadaj, stop being such a baby."

"I'm not a baby, you are, you crybaby!"

"Oi, I'm not crying!"

"...Don't cry Loz. Now you two behave and be nice."

Finally a person appeared in the door way, a relatively bulky teenager with short silver hair, red cheeks and a slightly awkward attitude. He was obviously embarrassed and he scratched his head as he walked into the room, uncertainly. Next came another person with longer hair and delicate features that pretty much looked like the little sister of Sephiroth. Someone smaller clung to her legs but hid behind them so that Genesis couldn't see who it was. The biggest of the threesome cleared his throat after a look from the sister.

"H-Hello."

Genesis cocked his head and eyed them closely. All silver hair, rather lean yet somewhat muscular. They reminded him a lot of Sephiroth. _Must be the hair,_ he told himself.

"Hey… what can I do for you?" he asked carefully, not to frighten the poor kid even more. A movement caught his attention and he was suddenly looking directly into two sapphire eyes that peaked at him from behind the woman's waist. The boy was obviously the youngest and therefore shy. But actually, they all looked as if they wished a black hole would suddenly swallow them up so they could disappear now, except for the girl perhaps.

The big guy got a nudge in the rib from the girl and cleared his throat again.

"Uhm, you may not know us... I am Loz," he finally said, looking a bit lost on how to continue before he seemed to remember. "I'm fourteen. This is my brother, Yazoo, he's thirteen." Loz pointed at the supposed girl, who narrowed his eyes in displeasure and pointed out in a calm but distinctly male voice, "I am going to be fourteen next month." Loz shifted a bit uncomfortably, biting his lip, but then decided to just move on. "And that behind Yazoo is Kadaj, he is 8."

Kadaj glared at Genesis for no apparent reason and then hid back behind Yazoo's legs.

The red-head blinked for a brief moment, looking at them with open confusion but also curiosity.

"Well, hello then, Loz, Yazoo and Kadaj," he said, sending Loz an encouraging smile. He hadn't known that he could be so nice to anyone for longer than four seconds, but this guy really struck a chord with him. He looked so lost, like a little puppy.

"I don't like him…" The boy – Kadaj – snapped from behind Yazoo's legs, sending Genesis more evil looks. He could bet that this was just because Kadaj felt safe where he was. Feeling a little lost himself, Genesis sat up and waved for them to take a seat.

"Kadaj!" Yazoo reprimanded, his voice still calm and quiet but with a razor sharp edge that made the little boy behind him flinch. Still, he quickly stuck out his tongue at the redhead, just for good measure.

"We do not want to disturb you for long," Yazoo finally replied when they had come closer. Loz had taken a seat, but Yazoo remained standing, as Kadaj wouldn't let go of him, his arms clinging stubbornly to his brother's legs.

"We just came by to thank you. No one has actually said anything official, but there is a rumor that you saved our brother... and we are very grateful for that." He bowed lowly and Loz hurriedly stood to bow as well. Even Kadaj sullenly lowered his head a little.

"Your bro… oh…" Genesis stopped when he finally got it. "You mean Sephiroth? Ha, that explains the similarities." He smiled a little again, and wondered how big, bad Sephiroth could have such a – kind of – charming family. They didn't seem to share their brother's sense of 'over-blown self-esteem', for which he was quite grateful.

"There is no need to thank me," he said at last, "I guess anybody would've done that… Oh, I haven't even introduced myself," he added with a quiet laugh. "I'm Genesis and I'd love to shake hands with you but…" He pointed at his right arm and shrugged helplessly.

"Does it hurt?" Kadaj's small voice held a curious tone. He had finally let his brother sit down, eyeing him closely from behind the chair now, with obvious interest in his bandaged arm.

"Nah, not anymore."

"Great!" Loz looked very relieved, relaxing a bit. "You must be pretty good, eh?" he asked, watching Genesis curiously, trying to measure his strength. The redhead looked a bit skinny and pale and not really like the hero kind of guy, but then again, he was injured. Loz decided to cut him some slack.

Yazoo was busy rebuttoning an unwilling Kadaj's shirt, assessing coolly, "It's just because Seph is always so reckless, he's worse than Kadaj at times..."

"If I had been just a little better, I wouldn't be here either," Genesis joked, assuaged that the mood was losing its tense atmosphere. He smiled at Yazoo's remark, noting that the girl-like boy definitely assumed the mother role among the three. "I wouldn't call him reckless, just…" _reckless_ "…confident."

"Big Brother is the best warrior on earth…" Kadaj chanted. "I don't think you saved him…"

"Kadaj, that's rude!" Loz hollered, but it was as clear as day that he had some doubts of his own. At least he was polite enough to be quiet about them. Yazoo narrowed his eyes and turned Kadaj back towards him, fumbling with the last button.

"But he is," Kadaj pouted.

Genesis only smiled and shook his head. "It's okay… I can't quite believe it myself so… why should you? In the end it was Sephiroth who did all the hard work…" Considering it, he knew it was true. As much as it hurt his pride, he had to admit that the silver-haired man had killed the Zolom, and that he would have been better off without Genesis. But he _was_ a Third, he was allowed to make mistakes and be a little inexperienced.

"See, as I said!" Kadaj said proudly, a grin spreading over his small face.

"He wasn't supposed to go on a mission though," Loz frowned, fumbling with his sleeve. "He had said that he would come home today and that this class he had to take was just some formal stuff..."

"I wanna see his room!" Kadaj piped up excitedly. "Seph said that he had one to himself and that we could visit him now whenever we want! Pretty cool, what?" His cheeks were glowing a bit with pride and he wanted Genesis to confirm how cool their brother was, because who in their right mind could _possibly _deny that?

Genesis laughed a little; that sounded so like Sephiroth.

"I guess he thought it would be just formal stuff, nobody knew about the mission after all…" he answered, feeling as if he had to search for an excuse for what had happened. He also couldn't quite point out that Sephiroth wasn't all as great as Kadaj imagined him to be, because… hey, he had had his heroes during childhood, too. So why destroy someone else's? The redhead wondered whether it was a good idea to tell them that the SOLDIER Second Class didn't, in fact, have a room to himself, or not.

"Well yeah… about the room…" he started, pausing when he received a disappointed look from Kadaj. "He's sharing one with me, okay? I know he wanted one for himself, but, you know… ShinRa…" Genesis made a comical gesture through the air, implying the whole institution around them with it.

"Oh..." The three of them looked pretty disappointed.

"Well," Yazoo turned to Kadaj again, who had balled his hands into little fists in frustration, "I guess he can still be home on the weekends..."

"This sucks," Loz blurted, something glistening in his eyes that looked suspiciously like tears. "How is he supposed to take care of us then? He can't leave us alone all week!"

"We'll figure something out," Yazoo muttered, managing to look doubtful despite his blank expression. "We are old enough to take care of ourselves."

_Ow, what did I do?_ Genesis asked himself, sighing when the three boys started talking at the same time, expressing how disappointed, how crestfallen they were.

"Hey, it's okay…who says you can't come around during the week? Well, if it's okay (with) for me to be around. I could do something else from time to time, but, you know…"

It was pretty hard to calm three boys who were obviously dependent on the guy, whose guts he hated.

"So you don't necessarily have to be on your own all the time," he smiled timidly.

Kadaj looked at him with big, green eyes. "I like you now." he suddenly said, surprising Genesis with an open smile.

Before they could say anymore or express their excitement at the news, the door opened, Sephiroth peeked inside for a split second and the door closed. Then it was abruptly pulled open again, as apparently the man had found what he was searching for.

"You three!" His voice was half strict, half relieved. "What are you thinking, wandering off like that? You want me to get an early heart attack? What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be in school?"

Kadaj was already running at him, bouncing against the man's legs and wrapping his short arms about his brother's waist, "We came to visit you! Are you hurt?" At the huge teary eyes that were turned on him Sephiroth could never stay angry and he sighed, still oblivious to Genesis' presence. Lifting the small boy up to set him on his arm, he ruffled Kadaj's hair. "I am fine. Such a pathetic Zolom wouldn't get me that easily now, would it?"

He smiled at the boy, the bandage on his forehead telling a different story. But Kadaj didn't seem to notice, his eyes shining brightly as he urged his big brother to tell him what had been going on, waiting for every heroic detail Sephiroth would give him. It was obvious to Genesis that Sephiroth meant a lot to the small boy – no, to all of them. Yazoo looked relieved, mixed with a little anger and fondness. An odd combination, but Genesis could relate. Loz – again – looked like he was going to cry.

_What a charming gang!_

"And Genesis told us that you didn't have a single room as you told us, but he said we could still come around whenever we want to, so it's okay and I like him now, even though I didn't like him before because he did not save you, but everybody says that…" Kadaj's excited rant shook Genesis out of his observations, his gaze fixing on Sephiroth and the boy once again.

"Genesis?" Sephiroth frowned, wondering how they could have spoken to Genesis, when finally his gaze drifted over to the occupant of the bed. Immediately his back stiffened and his expression went blank, if not icy, and he set Kadaj down, his attitude changing from a loving, concerned brother to badass SOLDIER in the blink of an eye.

This was exactly why he hated his brothers being here; first off, this was the military and they were innocent and didn't need to see all the bloodshed and the dirty part of his job. Secondly, he had an image to maintain here, and it clashed horribly with his role as a big brother who cared deeply for his family. He couldn't reveal to anyone that he had a weak point (namely his family) because the army was a lions' den and he had enough enemies already who would take advantage of his weaknesses.

And now, of all people, _Genesis _had to know!

Of course, Genesis noticed Sephiroth's change immediately, despite the physical distance between them. He sighed, he should have expected that. The silver haired man wasn't always as aloof and cynical as he'd been when Genesis had first met him, but he guessed he could understand why Sephiroth pretended to be – he rather had to be like that. It was what he was expected to do after all.

The redhead waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay…," he said to no one in particular, noticing the strange looks he got from Kadaj and Loz, while Yazoo seemed to understand what he wanted to express.

"Can't wecome to visit you, Seph?" Kadaj asked shyly, pulling at Sephiroth's trousers to get his undivided attention.

"You should go back home for now, I will get you a cab. I'll call you later and we can talk about it then," Sephiroth replied, somewhat tense.

"But-" Kadaj started to protest, but was stopped by Yazoo. "Let's go home for now, Kadaj. Seph is all right, as you can see. He must have a lot of work to do. We can talk later."

"Yeah," Loz added, though he didn't look too happy himself. Kadaj made a sour face and put on his best pout but it didn't seem to impress anyone that much. The three of them bowed quickly at Genesis and then let themselves be practically pushed out of the door by their brother.

For a few quiet moments the red-head was by himself, until Sephiroth reemerged, shutting the door behind him with narrowed eyes and much more force than should have been necessary.

"One word to anyone and I will kill you."

Genesis raised his eyebrow at that and felt annoyance boiling up inside of him again.

"Yeah right, as if I have nothing to do but tell the whole world that you have a family that you love." He shook his auburn head at that, wishing that he could know that feeling for himself. "But don't worry, not that I'd profit from it anyways."

"You better not. If you do I will make you regret it dearly," Sephiroth growled menacingly. He didn't believe the brat; it was an opportunity too good to pass on and for that kind of information and leverage a lot of people _would_ pay. There was no way to tell for sure that Genesis wasn't just an opportunistic brat who would sell his soul to get high in rank quickly; he seemed pretty ambitious.

Sephiroth briefly wondered at what point this had turned into a death threat, when initially he had just come by to see how his room mate was doing. After the fight he had thought that maybe Genesis wasn't such a bad guy after all, and that he certainly had skill and the right attitude, that he may deserve respect even. However, the moment he had opened that hospital door and had seen his brothers in the company of a possible threat, his overprotective, paranoid self had taken over again.

"So, how are you?" he finally asked after a long, tense pause, lifting his chin.

"Woa, woa… okay…" Genesis said slowly, trying to comprehend that Sephiroth had turned his mood around 180° again. "Can you please stop changing your mood like your underwear for once? It's pretty hard to follow." _To put it nicely_, he thought sourly.

And indeed it was true. One moment Sephiroth was threatening to kill him because he knew about his family and the next moment he was being all SOLDIER like and asking how Genesis felt, just like a good friend would do. Genesis didn't know what to make of this ambivalent behavior.

"But, I'm fine, I guess. Apart from that I cannot feel my fingers, but well… guess that comes with having an oversized snake chop off your arm," he said lightly, just wanting to change the topic. He didn't really have the urge to make Sephiroth feel any more uncomfortable unless it was truly necessary.

"But how about you? No severe head damages?"Genesis could barely restrain the tiny smile that wanted to spread over his lips.

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed at first, the urge to challenge the redheaded boy rising inside him, but then he inwardly sighed and came towards the bed, stopping a few feet away.

"Nothing significant as of yet," he replied, allowing himself a tiny smirk as well. Genesis was right, recently he'd behaved worse than a PMSing woman... "That _was_ quite reckless of you." He couldn't help but mention it, though he tried to make it sound non-committal.

Genesis shrugged as much as his 'secured' arm would allow. "I could say the same about you," he said, his eyes meeting Sephiroth's with a twinkle in them. " Stumbling towards your sword with a huge monster right in front of you, a monster that is ready to tear you into pieces...wasn't your smartest move, SOLDIER boy." But he smiled and there was no venom in his words whatsoever.

"So…" the red-head started, suddenly losing track and wondering what to say next, "...do you know when I'll be cleared for my next mission?" It was the cleverest thing that he could think of to say at that moment.

"You should ask the doctor to be certain but I suspect that you will be ready to partake in missions within a few days. Until then, I am assigned to support you in your daily routine," Sephiroth replied neutrally.

It was annoying, because it meant even less time for him and his brothers. On the other hand, Genesis had helped him back there, kind of, and it was a SOLDIER's duty to acknowledge that. They had a strict codex of honor, after all.

"Is there anything you need to be done?"

The other nodded solemnly, sensing from Sephiroth that he was rather reluctant to stay here with him and Genesis had well-founded suspicions as to why that was so. It was kind of reassuring to know that it wasn't only because the taller man hated his guts.

"Nah, I'm quite fine. It's not like I never broke my arm or anything," he replied, before turning to show the silver haired SOLDIER a knowing smile along with a twitch of his head in the direction of the door. "I guess your brothers miss you."

At the mention of his brothers Sephiroth stiffened again, as he was not comfortable (to) discussing sensitive, family issues with a person whose character he could not reckon up. In all actuality Sephiroth didn't even know if he liked Genesis. The young man was infuriating and confusing and utterly outrageous. But, he was also the only person who had managed to get under Sephiroth's skin in quite a while...

"They will be fine," he finally said, eying the redhead up and down. Intent on changing the topic, Sephiroth asked, "And what compelled you to throw yourself in front of a 33 foot snake?"

Genesis was quite surprised that Sephiroth didn't immediately use his family as an excuse to get away from him, but he couldn't say if it was because he wanted to stay or because he felt obligated. This guy was so puzzling.

"How do you know how long that thing was?" he asked, baffled. 33 feet? Quite long… really rather a lot long. "Nah, well… you were in danger, weren't you? I mean…" Now that Sephiroth asked, Genesis wasn't too sure anymore of why he had thrown himself between the Zolom and the warrior. It had just happened and it had been the only right thing that had popped up in his mind at that moment.

"If I see somebody in danger, I'm helping, okay? Leave it at that."

In danger? Sephiroth resisted the urge to bristle. The thought that he had to be saved was simply ridiculous because he was ShinRa's 'wunderkind', the company's gifted, heroic, impossibly talented prodigy! And if it hadn't been for Genesis, the situation they were facing now would never have arisen and...

Sephiroth forced himself to stop that train of thought, surprised. He hadn't realized that he was that vain, that he would feel offended about the suggestion of needing help. The boasting headlines in the newspapers were something he had thought he was immune to, but apparently he had been wrong.

"You have the right spirit to become SOLDIER then, I guess," the silver haired man finally said slowly.

Something inside of Genesis hardened suddenly. This sounded too much like…

"Is that the standard twaddle they teach you to tell battle-injured Thirds?" he asked sarcastically. Even though it had sounded speculative even careful, Sephiroth's words had still struck a chord inside of Genesis' soul. It was the way the words had been spoken, despite their tentative undertones. It was like the other was reading from ShinRa's 'How to cope with injured SOLDIERs' book.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

And there it was again, that annoying, stand-offish attitude that drove Sephiroth nuts and never failed to provoke him!

"No," he said lowly, stretching the word in sardonic testiness. "I said it because for just a split second I almost thought that it could be true, but you just proved that it was a waste of breath."

Genesis glowered at him, but inside he was regretting his doubts suddenly. But shying away now would scratch at his ego and that was something he would never let anybody do, not even himself.

"Pf… everything you _say_ is a waste of breath." Okay, now this was going down hill.

Sephiroth wordlessly turned at that and walked out of the room. Apart from the fact that anything he could have replied was apparently seen as something annoying and superfluous, he really didn't have the energy for this right now. The Second was still dirty and raw and he would have to write a report and meet important people who enjoyed torturing him with endless questions; not to mention that there was a press conference as well about how he had saved poor little recruits and whatnot.

Who was Genesis Rhapsodos anyway, and what did his opinion matter? Nothing, that's what. And Sephiroth would not get provoked for a very simple reason:

He didn't care.

Tbc

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**MaryMurderprincess/_BMIK_ replying **

HikariFighter

Tehe, cliffhangers are killers, I know. But you love 'em :) Update now, yah! Thanks for the comment! _Thanks^^ I wish we could have updated sooner, but ff was being troublesome, sorry!_

hayakatsu

Welcome to the League of Eternal Lovers of Seph x Gen. *gives you a welcome present* They are awesome and need to be cherish ;) Thanks for the compliment :D This is a great boost! Here ya go, next chap ;) _Thank you! Yeah, right? All the smex went uncommented on XD Well, I take it then there wasn't anything to criticize about ;)_

xXSaltzXx

Thanks a lot, that really means something to us! But anyways, comments are always nice, yet we will definitely continue as long as this story continues being so exciting :D But hell I know how hard it is to formulate a comment, when you are caught up in a story… well I least I hope that's what has kept people from reviewing. Anyways they did comment a lot now *giggles* Thankies again! _You are certainly right, comments aren't anything, but they are a helpful device to develop a story and hone one's writing skills^^ So thank you for taking the time to leave feedback! 3_

darkbloodymoon

Thank you, dear! Reviews come and go but as long as someone is reading this story we are happy :) _Thanks! I luff them too, aren't they just adorable? XD_

Lenko

Well thank you o_o" I'm… stunned actually. I cannot believe it, you are finding so many great things about this story X/D (and yes I do love BMIK's style too a lot *_*) Anyways, thankies! I for my part am not too sure about my action scenes (I guess BMIK did most of it anyways…) but it's a great ego boost, thanks! I hope you will enjoy the following chapters as well! _Heyyyy! How nice to see you here too! Hehe, yes it wasn't exactly love at first sight for the two of them XD They will have to go a long, hard way for their joined happiness ;) And thanks for the comment on the action scenes!_

iloooveinuyasha1

Even though going randomly for each other can also be yummy ;) Ah, but thank you! We really wanted a situation where we could display the sides of them that we find interesting =) I'm glad you like it that much that you read it even though it's not your typical paring ;) I hope we can keep you as a reader! Thanks and enjoy! _I must admit that I haven't read that many Sephesis stories yet (no time :( ) so I am extra happy you find our scenario plausible! I hope we can keep that up XD Thanks for the review!_

Gismo1

Smart cookies XD That fits them quite well! I guess I'll keep that expression ;) Thanks a lot for the praise. This is way too flattering xD Anyways I'm glad you like the two of them and I can promise you… they will have fun :D In more than one way ;) Thanks! _Hehehe, thanks!Yes, they are equipped with ammo now and we will have to see who wins the next fight XD The war is long from being over ;)_

Shadow Haloed Angel

Don't worry about it anymore! The reviews for Chapter 3 make up for any lack of them in the previous chapter. Damn, so many o_o" I'm merry you like our descriptions and conversations :D They are so much fun to write too (just a bonus, yah!) Thanks for reviewing and have fun with the next chapter! _Aw, thank you so much for your concern! Hm, I suppose those two are naturals at finding others' strengths and weaknesses; if they weren't they would never have made it to Generals in the end? I think they have some kind of slightly twisted love/hate thingy going on XD_

omgitskirby

Thanks :D Here's the next chapter ;) _What she said XD Thank you!_

moonlightskymist

Why, thank you :) Always nice to hear that. Hope you will be enjoying the next chapter too! _Thanks! Hm, this fanfic is partly AU. We kept some major themes like the training to become SOLDIER but we twisted other facts from the games, as you will see. I hope you will enjoy them^^_

Anonymous

I'm definitely sad you have no name here xD But anyways. Damn you are saying we are writing one of the best stories here? Thanks so much, this is… well I dunno, I'm missing words for this… We won't stop writing in the near future I guess, so yeah. Don't you worry! Thanks again! This really means something! _Thank you! We dont intend to stop writing this fic (at least as far as I am informed XD). I´m glad you enjoy it and thanks for the feedback!^^_

**As always feedback is very welcome^^**_  
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	5. Chapter 5

** Hello everyone^^ Did you survive the Easter holidays in one piece? Got any chocolate you want to donate to us? In any case, here is our belated Easter present to you!**

**Once again we want to thank danslalune for putting in so much time and effort in the betaing, you are the bestest, dear!**

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Chapter 5

The room seemed suddenly empty to Genesis, but he only snorted derisively and continued to lie on his back and stare at the ceiling. How did it always occur that he was the one screwing everything up? Not sometimes something, but every time everything. What he had said was childish, it was provoking and nothing more. But that was what he had wanted to do, to hurt Sephiroth, to pull him out of his shell, to get any kind of emotion from him, apart from sarcasm perhaps. Anger seemed to be the only other feeling he felt able to evoke in the other.

He didn't understand his motivation for this either, it was like quarreling with your parents, insulting them and hurting them because you want their attention, any kind of attention. And it was not that Genesis didn't know how to get that. He had had a lot of practice with his own parents back in Banora.

Oh, how he hoped that Angeal would be done with the interrogation soon, or that someone would come to stop him from doing more unnecessary musing because of this prick of a SOLDIER.

About twenty minutes later the dark haired SOLDIER recruit finally poked his head inside the room,andseeing that Genesis was awake and relatively lucid, Angeal came in. When the door suddenly opened, pulling him out of his thoughts, Genesis' head moved upwards and turned , to face his best friend directly.

Angeal didn't look like he had taken any serious damage from the fight earlier today, just a few minor scratches. No bandages or patches, insofar as he could tell.

"I'm sorry, I didn't have time to buy you flowers, but I did manage to boast a bit about your part in the mission," the young man smiled, good-naturedly. Then he threw a glance at Genesis' bandaged arm, trying to estimate the damage. "How are you doing?"

"Why should you boast about me?" Genesis grinned idly, slowly shifting into a sitting position.

"I'm doing quite fine. I should be able to use the arm soon enough, at least I hope so. But what about you? No damages?"

"I am relatively fine, compared to you." Angeal made a dismissive gesture with his hands and sat down on a nearby chair. A light frown wrinkled his forehead, though. "Your mother is going to kill me if she hears about this."

A light chuckle escaped the red-head's throat at that and he had to smother it with his hand. "My mother will throw a fit and then act like she cares more about her precious garden," he said flatly. "And Father would rather tell me to start acting like a man and take it…" It was certainly the last thing he wanted to talk about now, but Angeal knew him and he knew his parents. So he _knew_what he was talking about and it didn't feel… out of place...to talk about them.

"Well, you are a bit of a hero now, so I guess they should be proud..." Angeal offered, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Everyone is asking about you." The smile that had accompanied the statement faded a bit and a slightly troubled expression briefly ghosted over Angeal's handsome face before quickly young man played it down with a hearty pat to Genesis' good shoulder. "You made an impression all right." He laughed.

Genesis immediately noticed the change in his friend's stance and expression and he itched to ask about it.

"And…?" he queried, his eyebrow arching upwards. If that was all, he couldn't quite be proud of himself yet. Not that he didn't feel a spark of pride over what he had done, but it was a surprisingly small feeling in comparison to others.

"Well..." Angeal inwardly squirmed under the scrutinizing look. Genesis knew him just too well and Angeal just couldn't lie. Lying was dishonorable and he was also very bad at it. Besides, Genesis would find out eventually and it was better if he was prepared. Angeal just hated to destroy his friend's glorious moment, because he surely deserved it. In all actuality Angeal was very impressed by what Genesis had done, and proud of him too.

"There are some that say that you are lying and that it was Sephiroth who did all the work. But don't worry about them, they are simply envious. I saw what you did," Angeal revealed calmly.

It was obvious that Angeal was afraid that his friend would be outraged by the news, but Genesis himself was taken aback because he felt none of it. For the first time in his whole life he didn't feel the need to prove himself because he had already done so in front of those who mat…

Did he really just think that Sephiroth mattered? Oh, he certainly did not!

_Must be the stupid pain killers_, Genesis thought dismissively and shrugged. "Let them talk… it's not like I care." He grinned at Angeal, his typical 'take it easy' grin to show that everything was perfectly fine. Apart from his still injured arm that is.

"It's just normal that people see their hero as, well… the hero they want him to be. So it doesn't matter what Sephiroth was actually doing, nobody cares," he explained, before sighing and shaking his head. "Let's grab something to eat, man I'm starving!"

"I could call the nurse," Angeal said, still frowning. " I'm not sure that you are free to eat whatever you want yet. Don't you have some eating schedule or something?"

It surprised him that Genesis was so calm about the incident. He certainly had become mature in a very short time... but actually it wasn't Genesis' reaction to the news that he had feared. It was what those dumb asses who talked behind Genesis back would do to the redhead in their self-righteous anger...

"Nothing that I am aware of…" Genesis replied, looking around to find any kind of menu that might contain orderable food for him. "And damn them, if the food is not good here I'm going on a rampage, I promise you…" His eyes started searching around the small table next to him, but he found nothing at all.

"Well, I guess it would be good to call the nurse then," the red-haired said with a small smile, noting Angeal's still somewhat worried face. "Hey… what's truly bothering you, 'Geal?"

"I... It's nothing. Just be careful." Then man managed a weak, cautious smile before he stood. "I will get us something to eat."

Ten minutes later Angeal was back with a tray that held two plates, eachcovered with a lukewarm puddle of mush that didn't look too inviting.

"I am sorry, there was nothing else." Angeal grimaced but bravely set the tray down and reached for his dinner.

During Angeal's absence , Genesis had felt a sudden rush of confusion and dread pulsing through his veins. He didn't understand what his friend had meant, advising him to watch out. There was nothing to be afraid of. Okay, he had messed a little with Sephiroth, but not enough to make the man want to kill him – at least he didn't think so – and besides, Angeal didn't even know about that particular conversation. He actually hadn't messed with anyone apart from Sephiroth so far, which was really something for him.

When Angeal had came back, balancing two plates with unidentifiable jelly on them, he couldn't help but grimace. "Yeah well, at least you tried," he said, defeated, having hoped to receive a decent hospital meal at least once.

After a couple of minutes of silent eating – Genesis had to admit that the food didn't taste as bad as it looked, but it didn't taste like heaven either – he also couldn't keep his curiosity at bay.

"'Geal… truly, what is it? You're talking all cryptically since you got here. Why do you fear me being hurt?"

Angeal wasn't able to evade those inquiring eyes, so he put his half finished plate aside, intertwining his fingers. "I overheard a few students from our class as they were talking about the incident. They are angry at you, because they believe that you lied about what happened. I am not sure, but I am afraid that they are planning something to... 'to put you in your place'. I can imagine that they feel the need to defend the honor of their hero. Maybe you should talk to Sephiroth and ask him to clear things up."

Genesis snorted disdainfully, putting the last bit of the rubber food in his mouth before moving the tray aside. "Bastards…" he snapped, anger contorting his normally aristocratic features as he tried to control his temper. It wasn't that they wanted to put him into his place – as Angeal had so kindly put it – but that they were doing this because of someone like Sephiroth.

"As if I would ever talk to Sephiroth about this…" There was his pride again, putting self-imposed stones into his way. He noticed it, but he couldn't change it. He was a proud person, self-centered even and he couldn't change that, at least not if there was no proper reason to do so.

"I'd rather take a few punches for this than have to beg_him_ to keep his fucking groupies in line…"

Angeal sighed heavily and leaned back. He hadn't really expected any other reaction. Maybe he should go talk to Sephiroth himself... But if Genesis found out he would never be forgiven and there was just no way the honor-conscious man would risk that.

"You could at least inform him about what is going on. Your injury was partly his fault as well. I do not want to see you hurt, Genesis, and over such a thing, on top of it."

"Don't let him hear you say that, 'Geal'…he'd chop your head off." Genesis answered, while rolling his eyes, emphasizing that he didn't take the other seriously at all. "I don't even think he'd give a damn about it. All he cares about is _his_ stupid reputation and the stupid phrases they teach the more experienced SOLDIERs in order to make them _seem_ to care for the younger ones." A low growl escaped his throat, the fingers of his left hand curling into a tight fist. He sharply blew out some pent-up air before turning his gaze away from Angeal, towards the window.

"You two still don't seem to get along," Angeal pondered, opening a can of soda he had brought with him. "That's strange considering that you threw yourself in front of him to save his life."

Genesis' eye twitched dangerously at that. "I quite know that…" he ground out, trying not to jump his friend for mentioning the one thing he couldn't explain even to himself.

"You are going to have to live with him for a while, I suggest you find a way to get along with him. He would not be an enemy to be taken lightly." Angeal knew that he sounded patronizing again, but he couldn't help it. Genesis' strong reactions towards the man were just too curious and strange and Angeal was quite worried. The last thing they needed was unwanted attention from their superiors because of some childish quarrel that would ruin their careers and dreams before they had even started.

"'Geal… you know, I know you are right…" he started, the anger boiling inside of him still, even as he tried to temper it. Angeal was not his object of hate here, Angeal wanted to help him. And the hot-tempered red-head did know that his friend was right, he nearly always was. Angeal was just too rational to_not_ be right. It was something Genesis liked and disliked about him at the same time. "I guess I'll just try to … get out of his way or something."

"That sounds like a good plan." It also sounded quite impossible but Angeal had to be supportive here, Genesis was trying hard. "All right, I need to go back to my room now, curfew is close. I'll come to see you again tomorrow, I think you will be discharged by then?" He tilted his head in question.

"I'm not too sure… I haven't heard anything yet because the nurse went running shortly after I woke up. But I guess I'll be questioned and some doc will eventually come by… at least I think so." He smiled openly and started leaning back again. "If I'm out of here by tomorrow, I'll drop by and see you, okay?"

"Sounds good. Night then." Angeal gave him another light pat on the shoulder. "And don't forget to call your mother." He was out of the room before Genesis could give him his patented aggravated glare and went back to his room, still worrying some.

"Yes, _mom_," Genesis called after him, shaking his head in disbelief about his idiot friend. At least Angeal could still be funny, even if he didn't intend to be. But he did have to call his mother… or well, he should. He could also let the whole thing slip. It was a rather nice idea, considering the uproar his mother would cause as soon as she heard what big, bad ShinRa had done to her baby – though she hadn't cared about Genesis for years. Ah well, it could still wait one day longer. What she didn't know…

Genesis must have dozed off because when he woke up next time, he found the nurse checking his vitals again. Did she only come by when he was asleep, or what?

"Excuse me, mam?" he said groggily to get her attention.

"Yes, what is it dear?" the woman asked kindly, leaning over to help him sit up and holding a fresh glass of water towards him. The patient needed to drink so he wouldn't be dehydrated. "You are looking a lot better already," she commented, smiling.

He only smiled and took the offered glass. "I've been wondering when I'll be ready to train and well… leave this bed again," he said, taking a large gulp of water before setting it down again. "Nobody has told me so far."

"Well, you can leave today if you promise to be careful. There will be no training for a while though young man," she replied strictly. "You have to be careful with that arm and wait until it is fully healed. If you risk further injury you might not be able to use it properly ever again." She knew these eager young men, they were always too reckless and most likely this one wouldn't listen to her either.

The color left his face almost immediately. Never use his arm again? Fuck, he hadn't thought that he had been injured so badly. But as it was, it could always be that this was nothing too unusual around ShinRa.

"Yeah, well I guess that I'll have to be extra careful. I intend to wield a sword again some day soon," he said with a hopeful smile and thanking her properly for the information. His gaze drifted towards his bandaged arm. Silly Zolom… why had he even prevented that too-tall snake from eating Sephiroth whole?

But he shook his head at that. Genesis had done the right thing, even if it had brought him some pain and troubles, it had certainly been the correct thing to do.

The nurse just sighed. "Don't overdo it." Then she stepped back to check his vitals and finally asked, "Should I call someone to get you? I think your roommate is supposed to take care of you now."

Genesis' face contorted a little at that. "I won't…" He muttered silently, "Well… I could always try it on my own, right? I mean, I can't move my arm, but I can still walk." To prove his point, he pulled his bare legs out from under the blanket, dangling them from the bed.

"That is not an option!" the nurse snapped strictly, putting a hand on her hips, as all of a sudden her sweet attitude was like, ' wiped away'. "You either get someone to come and get you and take care of you, or you are not leaving this room!" Dark clouds of terror whirled around her as she hovered over him menacingly, her sharp eyes piercing Genesis' skull and the room suddenly feeling about 10 degrees colder.

Oh damn, he had forgotten how evil nurses could be. Genesis made himself as small as possible, blinking up at her with big, round eyes.

"Well… yeah, then I suppose you should call my roommate…?" He smiled a little, apologetic.

"That's what I thought," the nurse nodded in satisfaction and a small smile made her radiate in a gentle light. "You wait here, I will call him and you can leave when he gets here."

She turned on her heels and left Genesis to himself again. In the nurse's station she browsed her patient's file and finally got the right number to call. A deep voice answered but the man didn't sound too enthused about the task she had for him. Nonetheless, he promised to be on his way, and the nurse went to tell Genesis.

_He will most definitely hate me even more now_, Genesis mused idly. Not that he was extremely bothered by that, but he could have done without Sephiroth being forced to take care of him. Hadn't he just promised Angeal to get out of the silver-haired's way? Well… it had all failed epically then.

When the nurse came back, he couldn't mirror her blinding smile at all. _I can at least make the best of it_.

"Your friend will be here in a few minutes," the nurse told him. "Is there anything I can get you till then? Maybe you want to call your parents?"

A tiny chuckle escaped Genesis at the mentioning of Sephiroth as his 'friend'.

"No…" he said carefully, not willing to deal with his mother just yet. "I'm fine, but thank you." The edge in his voice was obvious to even him and it made him wince inwardly. He hadn't wanted it to sound like that.

"I am here, let's go," the deep voice of Sephiroth ended the conversation with the nurse, who just nodded and left the boys alone. Sephiroth had crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Genesis to get up and get his stuff.

Sighing, Genesis got up from the bed, feeling a bit wobbly on his naked feet and holding on to the bed with his uninjured left hand. The world spun for a moment before everything came into focus again.

"Do you know where they put my things?" he asked, looking around to distract Sephiroth and himself from his small moment of weakness.

Of course he had no idea where Genesis' stuff was, but Sephiroth got the message, and besides, it was only common courtesy to turn away as the young man got up and wavered around in his very short hospital gown. The SOLDIER checked one of the small wardrobes and found a bundle of clothes that he laid on the bed. With his bandaged arm to contend with, maybe this would take longer than he had thought...

"Why didn't you call your parents?" he asked, with his back to the redhead to give him some privacy. Naturally he had overheard the last bits of their conversation as he had entered the room.

Grabbing his boxers first, Genesis looked behind him to make sure that Sephiroth definitely wasn't peaking – even though the Second had already seen him without anything on, Genesis remembered with heating cheeks.

"It's none of your business," he said flatly, but without any offence intended . He didn't need to justify his actions in front of the other, superior or not. And Genesis didn't even feel the need to ask why or how Sephiroth would know_... __Enhanced hearing through mako_, the words echoed in his head.

He struggled with his boxers and eventually managed them on his own. A bit more relaxed than before, the red-head now sat down on the bed again to put on his socks. Who had brought him fresh clothes, anyways?

"It is my business because you are not legal yet and therefore your parents have to be informed about your injuries. You either do it yourself or I will," Sephiroth retorted fretfully. He should have stopped there and kept his other thoughts to himself, but he continued. "They are your parents, it is a matter of respect and affection to inform them. It is your duty to call them."

"Then you do it if you are so eager," Genesis said in the same monotone voice he had used before. Inside he was seething with anger, but he wouldn't show it now. He had promised Angeal and he would at least try to keep that promise for once. "You don't know my parents, so do not tell me anything about duty and respect, let alone affection."

It was rather difficult to dress up with only one arm and when Genesis finally managed the second sock he was fed up with his injury already.

"What I do know is that you are an annoying, spoiled brat and I certainly will call them if I have to," Sephiroth snapped, glaring daggers at the insolent redhead over his shoulders. He didn't care if Genesis was half naked or not; this was a matter of heart to him. "They raised you and they didn't ask for anything in return, so the least you can do is make the damned call."

"I don't need you to tell me when to speak to my parents and when not to," Genesis spat back, but he didn't raise his head to look at Sephiroth. A broken chuckle escaped him at the other's argument. This was ridiculous.

"Yeah…speaking of raising me, I would rather actually call the caretaker that they hired for me and who they fired when I gotolder, who now lives in poverty somewhere in I don't know what, but wait… she hasn't got a telephone now, too bad."

"And of course it is their fault and their fault alone that your relationship is dysfunctional," Sephiroth snorted derisively. He didn't need to know about any family details and he didn't want to either. It was just that he hated it when people whined about their awful family relations, because he had been there, done that, and it was just too easy to blame it on the other side.

Genesis sighed and shook his head dismissively. "Why am I under the impression that you don't care about that..." he asked, while struggling with his trousers. They were usually easy to put on, but with only one arm intact it was a challenge. "Come on... I don't want to argue about it, okay? Let's just leave it at that I won't call them."

"Your mother will know eventually. She will be worried," Sephiroth pointed out, his voice getting calmer. He had gotten emotional again; this was none of his business aside from the technical part and he could simply delegate the call to someone else. Why was it that he lost his professionalism with that brat? The topic was a delicate one, of course, but that was no excuse. There was also no excuse for Sephiroth trying to push his own point of view on Genesis. He really didn't know anything about their family ties. It was just that...

"She will most definitely be…" Genesis answered with a sigh. "I will call them tomorrow, okay? I just don't have any patience for them right now." It was somehow true. He didn't want to be confronted with his mother's hysteria and his father's disapproval just now.

A happy noise escaped him, despite the situation at hand, when he finally managed to get his trousers up and closed. "Uhm… would you mind helping me with the shirt?" he queried quietly.

Sephiroth accepted the ceasefire with a nod. He turned, his eyes only trailing briefly over the white, smooth skin that was blemished by a few scratches and bruises. Unwanted images of wet, hot flesh against his tongue and under his fingertips evaded his mind but he pushed them back. Instead he grabbed the shirt and awkwardly pulled it over Genesis' upper body. He wished he had a routine in this as well.

"Director Lazard wishes to see you when you feel in the condition to meet him," he informed, pulling the fabric over soft, red hair. This basically translated to 'as soon as you can stand up again', which was 'now'.

Instantly Genesis reached for his hair and shook his head to fluff it up. "Ah, right. I guessed that somebody would want to talk to me, after all. Would you like… tell me where his office is then?" He hated to ask Sephiroth to bring him there, but he didn't know where SOLDIER headquarters was either – okay, so he hadn't really listened to the instructions whatsoever.

A dull ache had settled in his arm during the dressing. He could at least move it a little, even though his fingers still felt like they had been frozen off. Anyways, pain indicated that it was still there, so he wouldn't complain.

"I will come with you," Sephiroth replied, inspecting his work critically. All right, that could have been better, but it would have to do. Absently he stroked Genesis' hair into an orderly side parting, as he usually did with Kadaj.

"There will be general questions about the incident yesterday. Make sure to answer them shortly and precisely. Be polite and respectful. Do not argue. If Lazard tells you that you were sliced by a zombie flower, you were sliced by a zombie flower, understood?"

"Hey, hey, shoosh." Genesis padded the other's hands away in a rather dramatic gesture. "Not the hair!" he warned, but the gaze he shot Sephiroth did not contain any heat. But he couldn't hold the smirk back that found its way onto his lips.

"Okay, no problem. I'll be on my best behavior and not be cheeky to the big boss," he agreed freely, nodding his head, while trying to restore the mess of his hair that Sephiroth had so systematically destroyed.

Clearly, Sephiroth was not pleased when his orderly side parting was messed up again, but he let it slide this time. He wasn't dealing with one of his brothers, after all. Still, he wasn't quite convinced that Genesis would be able to behave...

"Follow me," Sephiroth instructed, leaving the room and walking to the elevators. The hospital happened to be on the 7th floor of the ShinRa building,so they needed to go up a few floors to reach the upstairs level where Lazard's office was located.

Reminding himself that he should keep his temper at bay for once, Genesis followed the taller man to the elevators and to Lazard's office. He didn't quite know what to expect from the head of the SOLDIER program. Of course, here and there the name Lazard had been dropped, but he hadn't been able to collect any valuable information on the man.

_Man__,__ that sounds like you're a spy or something. I should have joined the Turks instead_, Genesis scoffed silently to himself. And even though he would never admit it, he was relieved that Sephiroth was going with him.

The secretary eyed them coolly when they entered the office, finally turning her gaze lazily back to the computer screen in front of her. "Mister Rhapsodos, I assume?" she said dryly. Genesis felt a sudden urge to turn around and leave this office as quickly as possible.

"Yes," he breathed out, opening his mouth to tell her that her boss wanted to see him, but she already had her long, pink-polished fore-finger on the intercom.

"The SOLDIER Third class you were expecting is here, Sir," she announced, her voice being forced friendly and trying to hide her obvious distaste for the said SOLDIER Third . "Shall I send him in?"

"Yes," was the curt reply. The secretary waved them in and Sephiroth went ahead, since he frequented Lazard's office regularly. After they walked in he remained by the door though, leaning against a table and crossing his arms, as he was not the one who would be talking to Lazard.

Lazard himself gestured towards a chair in front of his desk, looking at the SOLDIER Third Class through his elegant glasses. A rookie he was and nervous he seemed. That was good.

"Genesis Rhapsodos, I assume?"

"Yes, Sir." Genesis sat down on the offered chair, trying to make the tension fade from his body, but it wasn't working so well. "You wanted to have a talk with me?" he asked neutrally, covering his jumpiness with something akin to professionalism. Deep down he was nervous as hell.

"I heard about your mission," Lazard replied, almost lazily, twirling a pen between his long slender fingers. His eyes briefly wandered to Sephiroth before they settled on the redhead again and he summoned a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, though it was not dishonest. "I would like you to tell me about it."

Nodding absently, the redhead briefly contemplated where to start. He started with the beginning of the mission and the routine kill of the Fangs, and then to precisely explaining what had happened with the Zolom. He left out that he didn't know why exactly he had made himself a target for the deadly snake, because Lazard did not need to know that.

His report showed that he could be every inch _a professional _if he wanted to be – which was admittedly not too often.

"I passed out, assumingly from the poison, and woke up in the hospital today." Genesis ended, the dread having finally bled out from his body altogether during the speech.

"I see..." Lazard leaned back, making a pause that turned from seconds into minutes. He looked faintly thoughtful before finally he opened his mouth. "You acted correctly, SOLDIER Third Class Genesis Rhapsodos. Your actions of aiding your comrades in battle and sacrificing yourself are admirable. Your friends must be proud of you."

_Pf, Sephiroth and he must have attended the same 'How to deal with injured SOLDIERs' workshop_, was the first thing that came to Genesis' mind that moment. Shaking the thought off, he focused his attention on Lazard again.

"Thank you, Sir." The reply was made matter-of-factly, not giving away anything about his emotions. "I did what I assumed was best."

"You certainly did." Lazard leaned forward now, intertwining his fingers and delicately placing them on the desktop. "ShinRa is proud to call you its SOLDIER, Genesis. You did a good thing indeed, and you know it, don't you?"

Genesis' shapely eyebrow rose slightly at that question, his face gaining the contortion of confusion. What was Lazard aiming at? It appeared to Genesis that he had something in mind with that question.

"Is that a trick question, Sir?" he asked cautiously, without even switching his tone.

Sephiroth could have face palmed but he had too much dignity. So much about paying respect to their superior and not starting an argument...

Lazard himself looked a bit taken off-guard, as he had not anticipated a question. SOLDIERs were supposed to answer questions, not ask them. Then his smile widened though and it became warmer.

"Why, you are an attentive one. It is in a way, yes. Though I can tell you that in personal terms, the company is proud of your achievements, we can not acknowledge them officially."

For a short moment, Genesis considered this response to be utterly wrong, for when Lazard had finally – finally – gotten to the real point of this meeting – because he did not _have _to hear the whole story from Genesis himself, as Angeal and Sephiroth had already filled him in – he found the whole thing to be a bit bewildering.

He wanted to nod in agreement, to say 'Yes, I understand, it's okay' as Sephiroth had told him to do, but he couldn't keep himself from wanting to question the other's reasons for this decision.

"I am sorry if I appear rude or retarded but… what does that mean?" Lazard definitely did not have good news to tell.

"It means that our official report and our media statement will differ significantly from your report," Lazard pointed out gingerly, donning his business attitude. He got up to slowly pace the room, calmly gesturing with his hand. "As SOLDIER it is also your duty to keep the public safe. We want to avoid a panic. Obviously the appearance of that Zolom was not a part of your mission and its existence is to be kept confidential. The official version will state that you got injured during an ordinary mission and that Sephiroth rescued you."

Genesis cringed at that and was lucky that Lazard was momentarily turning his back to him, which meant he didn't see it.

_Sephiroth rescued me? What the hell?_, he thought gloomily, already knowing that there was no way to change the whole affair anymore. He nodded slowly in understanding.

"So, you just switch the story about 180 degrees and that's it?" Now he could'nt hold his voice flat and unfazed. Angeal had said he was worried that some of the students might want to pay him back for dishonoring their hero, Sephiroth, and now that Lazard had told him how the press would read, they would certainly have some fuel for that action. This couldn't be possible. Even Genesis couldn't have that amount of bad luck.

"That is it," Lazard confirmed, his voice firm with just the slightest warning undertone. Again, he made brief eye-contact with Sephiroth. Their prominent Second Class had already informed the director that Genesis was not exactly an easy-going personality. Well, they would try it this way first, but if Genesis proved to be too difficult there were always other ways to handle the problem. It would be a shame to get rid of him, since he had displayed courage and some obvious skill, but they would do it, if necessary. Another dirty job for the Turks it was, nothing more, nothing less.

"I must ask you to keep quiet about this conversation and the true nature of this mission. You are not to talk about it with anyone or there will be severe consequences. Do you understand?"

Bristling with anger, Genesis was barely able to keep his cool stance upright. He wondered if this was how ShinRa was boosting their precious _wunderkind_all the time. Nevertheless, he took Lazard seriously; he didn't seem to be the kind of guy to mess with.

"Yes, Sir." He gnashed, crossing his arms defensively in front of his chest. He knew exactly how companies like ShinRa got rid of those who didn't follow their rules. The Turks were certainly no invention of ShinRa.

"Well then, I am glad we have an agreement. You should rest now, Sephiroth will bring you back to your room." Lazard dismissed them, his smile friendly and sharp. Sephiroth nodded and pushed himself off his table to open the door and wait for Genesis to follow him to the elevator.

After getting up from his chair, Genesis worked to make his expression return to neutral again. He saluted – perhaps a bit sharper than normally – and turned to follow Sephiroth to the elevators. He didn't speak, he didn't explode like he would expect himself to do, but he was fuming on the inside.

These idiots… if that was how they made Sephiroth appear so heroic in public,he disliked him even more now. And not to mention his respect for him was completely lacking now. This was totally ridiculous.

Genesis did understand that they could not tell the public that a giant killer snake had been so near the city, ready to attack them at any moment. But turning the story to say that the already worshiped Second Class had – again – rescued a lowly Third Class – who could apparently not even look after himself – was truly unacceptable and humiliating for the redhead.

"I am not proud of this," Sephiroth said eventually, sensing the redhead's distress. "You have every right to be disappointed and angry, but this is how politics work. If you want to make it in SOLDIER you will have to accept that and deal with it. There will be other opportunities for you to show what you are capable of."

"It's not about showing off at all, Sephiroth," Genesis snapped at him, while watching the floor of the elevator doing… well nothing.

"I understand that they cannot go around telling how epically they have failed to detect a threat to the city… What I do not understand is why they have to make this," he waved towards his motionless arm, "seem like a silly mistake of a Third Class."

He hotly blew out the air he had been holding in his lungs without even noticing. "I cannot believe that they are going to serve me on a silver platter like this for all of your fans…" He murmured to himself absently.

"It is a simple distraction tactic," Sephiroth replied a bit tersely. "It does not appeal to my sense of honor and you are wrong if you think that this is not about showing off. It is all about showing off, that is the point." Sephiroth didn't expect Genesis to understand; he had been here for only a few days and had been thrown right into ShinRa's ugly politics. "They make it seem like a silly mistake of a Third because it is excusable."

"Yeah, whatever. It's not like you understand…" Genesis answered dejectedly. Right now, he saw his dreams, what he was working and reaching for, being stripped down to nothing more than a gross game of privileged adults, who wanted to mess around with the people of Midgar – perhaps even with all people of Gaia. The company that created heroes and legends seemed suddenly only an illusion.

And for the first time in his life Genesis questioned the choice of his wish to be a hero. It sounded so childish all of sudden. If he had to play these games, if he had to play along with shit like _this_, he rather wanted to go back to Banora and forget about ShinRa and the Soldier program.

Sephiroth remained quiet. There was no use in arguing now, as Genesis was being emotional. They would have to get lunch soon, but Sephiroth didn't really feel like it. "Are you hungry?" he asked neutrally. It was his duty now to look after the injured, sulking young man. This day could only get worse.

"Not really… I had some food with Angeal, when he visited… and I'm not too eager to consume more than necessary of the stuff they label as food here." He stepped out of the elevator once they reached their floor. Waiting for Sephiroth to follow – because he honestly didn't have any clue where their room was – he wished he had Angeal to fluster about it. Just then it (appeared) came to him that Lazard had forbidden him to tell anybody… most definitely even Angeal.

"I'm not even allowed to tell Angeal, am I?"

"No, you are not. Nothing ever happened so there is nothing to talk about either. You better keep it that way. They will know if you violate your orders. And this is enough talk now."

Sephiroth walked down the hall, his eyes scanning the area. They most likely would be under surveillance now; Genesis most certainly was and since Sephiroth had to stick with him, he was too. Besides, it was his responsibility to make sure that Genesis kept quiet. Angeal would be summoned to Lazard again and he would get the same speech Genesis had received today.

"We will go to our room now. You missed your class this morning and will have to study to catch up and not fall behind."

_As if that was my most important matter_, the redhead thought angrily, following Sephiroth to their room without opening his mouth again, just for once.

This was truly absurd. How could he explain to Angeal what ShinRa said about the mission when he wasn't allowed to talk about it? Angeal had been with them on the mission. It gave Genesis headaches to even _think_about it, let alone deal with it.

They passed by some other students and he felt their crucifying gazes in his neck, his hairs standing straight. Doing his best to ignore them, he focused on the linoleum floor and how his feet walked over it.

Sephiroth ignored the fan boys and closed the door to their room behind him once they had reached it. A few of the recruits had been bold enough to follow. Once they were inside, Sephiroth relaxed a bit and took off his armor, sitting down on his bed.

"You have a writing assignment, on which you were supposed to reflect on your mission. ShinRa took the liberty of writing it for you," he informed calmly.

Sitting down on the opposite bed, Genesis took off his boots and sat cross legged on the soft cushion. "Guess I should thank them then," he said with a shrug, leaning back against the empty wall behind him and grabbing Loveless from the nightstand, where he had last put it to rest.

Opening the book, he started reading the first act, even though he knew the poem by heart by now. Some of the anger melted away from his soul and soothed his rage to a dull throbbing. This piece of poetry did wonders!

Sephiroth stared at the ceiling for a bit and tried to motivate himself to do something productive, but he couldn't work up the enthusiasm. On the other hand, he grew bored pretty quickly when he didn't have something to do. His gaze was inadvertently drawn to the strange redhead as he was the only remotely interesting thing in this room. Sephiroth wondered how long Genesis would be able to make it in SOLDIER. That attitude of his could either be his downfall or his ticket to becoming a renowned hero.

"Why are you reading that crap?" he finally asked, frowning. The comment was not meant to anger the other but was simply a question asked because Sephiroth honestly couldn't figure out why someone would read poems voluntarily!

Genesis ignored him until he reached the end of the first act, looking up to meet Sephiroth's gaze with one raised eyebrow.

"Well, firstly, it certainly is no crap, it's called poetry." There was mockery in his voice, sensing that the silver haired man was definitely not a friend of literature so far. It showed in his eyes. Genesis assumed the other would read something as boring as… history novels or historical essays even. But it was his own fault if he did not enjoy the gift of written art.

"And I read it because it's a precious kind of poetry, Loveless… for me it is the peak of modern poetry."

"I see." Sephiroth looked like anything but. "And what is so precious about it?" He seriously didn't get it. He didn't mind studying and gaining knowledge, on the contrary (though he was more focused on his physical development in battle) he read useful things with interest. But Loveless was not useful. It was strange and boring and there was nothing to learn from it.

A light giggle escaped Genesis at that. "No, you don't _see_it," he stated positively. "Poetry is something you have to _feel_. A good poet is able to convey the feelings of the topic he's dealing with by using just the smallest amount of words. But then again, those words are the most precise, most accurate ones to use for what is to be said."

He sighed lovingly while shutting the book closed. "That's what Loveless is. It's a story about a hero...but you have to feel the hero, feel the goddess, feel the struggle and battle...and eventually the dissolving. It's not about reading the poem and then being able to know what is going on there. You have to _interpret_ Loveless to do it justice. And that's what I like about it… it… well, it gives me hope."

Sephiroth felt a headache coming on and he tried hard to stay focused during Genesis' little monologue. It was apparent that his mind was more rational and scientific, whereas Genesis' was more emotional and pretty much irrational. "Hope for what?"

Cocking his head, the red-head considered the question for a brief moment. Hope for what? He had never asked himself that, he just felt that Loveless built him up every time he read it. Assuming that he was hoping for a lot in his life, it could be anything.

"Hope for being a hero someday." He hadn't noticed his mouth working faster than his mind when deciding on what to answer. And now that he had spoken it out, it sounded so childish and foolish,and a small blush crept to his cheeks.

tbc?

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**Review replies:** Mary Murderprincess replying/ _BMIK replying_

HikariFighter: They are adorable indeed :3 Time for cutiepies, even Kadaj! Good, good, that's the spirit! Thanks for the comment and have fun with the next chapter :) _Ah, luckily fanfictionnet stopped being troublesome, it drove me crazy! Yes, when we started to plot the story we agreed pretty quickly that the remnants should be included too; they make such a cute dysfunctional family XD_

mizperceived: Wow, that's quite a list :D But Gen and Seph work so perfectly fine together, one has to love them. And Kadaj of course too, he's the best :P Thanks a lot for the feedback, it makes me go all shiny eyes ;) Have fun! _Thank you! I am so happy to hear that! And that you like the new fic too^^ I only came to enjoy the Sephesis pairing recently, thanks to the wonderful soyna, and writing it is a lot of fun XD Again, thanks for the feedback and I hope you enjoy the new chapter too!_

Shadow Haloed Angel: Yay is certainly enough! Thank you! :D _Hahaha, woot! Glad to make you go yay XDDD_

omgitskirby: Thanks a lot :) We definitely will if you keep commenting ;P Have fun! _Thanks! And here's new chappy for ya :3_

** Please leave us a little feedback^^ It will only take 30 seconds of your time, I pomise!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Many many thanks to our beloved, wonderful aubrieta and her uberawesome betaing! You rock sooooo much darling!**

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Chapter 6

The silver haired man took a moment to think about that. Whenever someone told him that their greatest wish was to become a hero he wanted to slap an ugly, bitter laugh into their infuriatingly, naive face. Becoming a hero... against his will Sephiroth had become one; he'd never asked for it, but here he was.

"Being a hero comes with great responsibility and pressure. Are you sure that this is what you want? Being stylized into an icon, watching every step you take? The crowd is a fickle entity, one moment you are their god and the next they will rip you apart."

"Yes… it is definitely what I want." Genesis said without second thought, his eyes clear and gouging. "Ever since I grew up back in Banora the only thing I've wanted was to show people that I could be more than what they thought of me, that I can do anything if I want to pursue it."

The taller man sounded fed up with his achievement somehow, but Genesis couldn't follow that. For him it was something to work for, a goal he needed to reach.

"We will talk again when you've reached your goal," Sephiroth replied, somewhat tiredly. "You have the potential to become a hero if you get that attitude of yours tuned down."

"Excuse me?" Genesis replied, his expression startled. "What do you mean 'that attitude of yours'?" His voice was daring now, challenging the other to say anything wrong.

Sephiroth smirked, as his point had just been proven. "You are impulsive and emotional. That can be an advantage but more often than not it will be a hindrance. You need to learn how to keep your temper in check. Becoming a hero means practicing self-control as well as acquiring battle skills."

The red-head snorted disdainfully at that. "Then I will be the exception to what people normally consider a hero, since I will not change myself for anything or anyone. Additionally, you are not the one to talk, Sephiroth. You are an emotional iceberg." Okay, so perhaps he was taking this a bit too personally.

"Thank you," Sephiroth replied, not feeling insulted at all. Actually, Genesis' words were kind of flattering. Sephiroth had worked hard for that image and it had become his second skin, keeping him sane and stable. He didn't give a damn about what other people said and thought about his non-existent social abilities; at least they left him alone then. The only thing that mattered was that he produced excellent results, which he did. Besides, his cool attitude added a mysterious aura to his public image which pleased ShinRa greatly and made Sephiroth all the more desirable and popular.

"And there you go, you know that it was totally _not _a compliment. Now where would you be without me, luring you out of your tiny, little shell." Genesis sighed dramatically, turning to lay on his back and crossing his still intact arm behind his head. "You know… maybe I shouldn't be the one to say this, but though showing some emotion from time to time might not bring you forth where the job is concerned…" he admitted thoughtfully, "... it certainly helps your soul and your self. Sure… being robotic might be nice from time to time, no hurt, no anger, no disappointment. But damn, I'd never exchange that for feelings like friendship, comfort and love."

A silver brow was arched as Sephiroth crossed his arms over his chest. "And what makes you think that I do not experience such emotions? Maybe I just prefer not to display them in public or at work. Perhaps I choose to reserve such matters for family only."

Now this was actually more information than Genesis needed, because he knew this already. He'd realized it from the moment he had seen Sephiroth interact with his brothers.

The smaller man turned his head to gaze at his room mate. "But how often do you really get to see them? So you're always holding back all of your emotions from everyone but them? I mean… if you see them every week or whatever, hey, then I'm taking everything I said back. But you are usually on missions and away and whatever. True emotions cannot be hidden away as easily as that."

"Are you saying that I am unfit to take care of my family?" Sephiroth asked lowly, eyes narrowing dangerously. "I am seeing them as often as I can and I provide them with everything they need."

"Could you please stop misinterpreting what I say and listen to what I really do _say_?" The red-head answered as perilously as the man across the room. "I merely said that it must be hard for you if you are only able to show emotion when around them, because you are not able to be around them 24 hours a day. I didn't say anything about you being unfit to look after them."

Sighing heavily he gazed back at the ceiling again. "Man, I mean, how could I? They worship you and I doubt that they do so because you don't care about them."

To make his point Sephiroth glared a moment longer. He didn't know about them _worshipping_ him. More often than not they were making his life a lot harder, though he loved them still. But they were teenagers and he was overworked and not exactly a parent.

"Well, sometimes I could rip their little, teenage hormone infested heads off, but generally we are doing just fine," he finally admitted flatly.

A wide grin spread over Genesis' feline face. "Ah… I can tell. Nowadays I do perhaps feel a little pity for my parents and the ones who were around me when I was younger." Sighing at that, he rolled over to his stomach and put on a thoughtful face. "Good old times, I guess… Nevertheless what they are doing, and whatever it might be, is just normal. I actually considered telling you to think back to when you were a teenager but I doubt you were any different from now." The red-head's tone was untouched and even, but he certainly meant no offence.

"I do not have parents. I was raised by ShinRa," Sephiroth replied calmly. "I did not have the time or the means to be rebellious." What he didn't say was that he preferred his brothers being difficult ten times over having them raised by the company! Sephiroth had made a deal with ShinRa: he would practically belong to the company and they would leave his family alone in return, allowing him to be their legal parent even though he wasn't that much older than they were. "I can imagine however that you must have been difficult."

"You what?" Raising his head from where he had rested it upon the pillow, Genesis eyed the other suspiciously. "You are messing with me, no way you have been raised by a _company_."

It would explain some of the facts that Genesis hadn't been able to put together though. But… _why_ would ShinRa raise an orphan – which Sephiroth obviously was if he had no parents. His only response to the last comment, however, was a dignified bristle.

"My parents had been working for ShinRa for years and when they died, we had no other relatives. I had already been chosen for SOLDIER because my results had been very promising to them. We made a deal; they would let me raise my brothers and leave them alone and I would do whatever ShinRa wants me to do." He had no idea why he was telling this, because this was absolutely none of Genesis' business and it was highly confidential information. Now it was too late to take it back and there was no use in crying over spilt milk anyways. But what Sephiroth found very strange was the fact that he felt... relieved. Never before had he told these things to anyone and now that the cat was out of the bag he felt almost as if a pressure had been lifted from his chest...

"You mean you have been around people like Lazard and the Turks and SOLDIERs for all of your life?" Genesis asked in return, considering briefly how that would be. Being raised in and by the greatest company on Gaia, being around all those people normal citizens knew practically nothing about. He failed though. That was something he couldn't really imagine. No matter how much he despised his parents and his backwater home town, ShinRa seemed suddenly like a true horror in comparison.

"So, what you are saying is, that they have you in their grip?" He mused loudly, the mere thought of it unsettling him a little.

The silver haired man simply shrugged. He had come to terms with it a long time ago now and it really wasn't that bad, he'd simply gotten used to being abused as a poster boy. And the company's mascot.

"Tell me about your family," he finally said, because he really wanted to know and there was no one else to ask. "What is it like to live with parents? I cannot remember."

Genesis sensed that for Sephiroth the previous topic was now over and done with, so he dropped it as well. Perhaps they would talk about it on some other occasion again. Still, there was a small stirring inside his chest that he suspected to be sympathy for the other.

"I don't know how your parents were…," he said at length, "but well… my mother was always either totally uncaring, like the time I broke my leg and she didn't seem to care at all, only telling me to take it like a man." He contorted his face at that. He had been only six back then, crying his eyes out and hoping to receive any kind of comfort from his mother, but she had just turned away towards her precious garden again. "Or, at other times she's behaving like a frantic mother hen around me, but that only started once she caught the whiff of me joining up with ShinRa. And well… I haven't seen my father for quite a time actually. He's either locked up in his study or at work until late at night." He shrugged it off, even though those little things had eaten their way into his heart.

"So it was quite… as if I didn't have any parents either. You should ask Angeal if you want to know what real parents are like. His mother was always caring and warm-hearted. Uh, and a bitch to mess with."

"Why is that?" Sephiroth inclined his head in question. It seemed that Genesis' family wasn't that lovely either so it was no wonder he didn't want to call them. Angeal's mother sounded strange too.

"Well, you see… Once we played in the orchards and I was supposed to sleep at Angeal's… additionally we were supposed to be back at … I don't know, six or seven. But we stayed there until like… ten." The red-head's face became relaxed when he remembered those happy, careless days of his childhood. "When we finally got home, Mrs. Hewley had already gathered the whole town to look for us and threw a major hissy fit in front everybody. Everyone scrambled away as fast as they could. It would have been majorly hilarious if Angeal and I hadn't been the ones the hysteria was directed at." He shook his head at the memory, remembering exactly how he had felt that moment when the normally so calm and loving Mrs. Hewley had screamed at them and dragged them home.

"You know… she was worried about us because at night there are wolves and other animals roaming around in the orchards, that was why she made such a big deal out of it… for me it was the first moment that I felt someone really cared about me and it was because of my best friend's _mother_."

Actually, Sephiroth could very well comprehend why Angeal's mother had had that outburst; he had had a couple of his own, directed at his brothers. "She sounds like a good person, your friend is lucky," he finally said. There was nothing else to say about that. ShinRa didn't care about him personally, only that their investment was not damaged and was functioning properly and he was fine with that, it kept the company at an emotional distance. Had they started to pretend to care about his personal life then it would have been too much to bear.

Genesis nodded in agreement. "He really is. Another reason why I was more around Angeal's house the last few years than at home. Plus, his mother cooks better than anyone I know." He grinned widely at that, remembering the awesome smells that always lingered around the Hewley house.

Sephiroth's face twitched only slightly as he remembered his own attempts to cook something for his brothers. The kitchen had looked like a battle field after the war of the century. It had been an oven-ready meal ever since then, until they found out by accident that Loz had a talent for cooking...

Just as he wanted to reply something there was a knock at their door. Sephiroth got up to open it, because it could very well be something important, though they probably would have been called beforehand. Instead of the infamous men in black he stared right into the glowing faces of a bunch of overexcited recruits that thrust the evening issue of the Midgar Times in his surprised face.

"Sephiroth…" Sparkling eyes looked up at him with awe and worship. "We read about what happened during the mission yesterday…" And so they got started, one after another ranting on and on about how awesome he had been, saving the poor Third who had been injured during the mission, how his heroic action had been described in the article and how excited they were. They used the term 'You are the greatest warrior on earth' a couple of times, too.

"May we have an autograph?" One of them, a guy with chocolate brown hair and even browner eyes, asked, euphoria dripping from every word he spoke.

For a moment Sephiroth contemplated telling them to leave. But they would come back and it was just easier to comply. He took the offered pen and quickly scribbled his name on a bunch of newspapers. When he came to the last boy, he simply took the paper and announced, "I will keep that."

Then he shut the door in their faces. For a few moments longer they shuffled in front of the door but then they finally moved off. Sepiroth sighed heavily, leaning against the door and briefly scanning the article. This was so... embarrassing.

Genesis looked up when the door was shut rather violently, eyeing firstly Sephiroth, and then the magazine he was holding in his hands. He hadn't heard all of the conversation going on at the door to their room, but what he had heard was enough to tell him that another lot of adorers had found their way to the great hero.

"Show me, so I can be a little more angry with this world." Genesis said lazily, making grabby hands with only one hand. It sucked being something close to an invalid.

Sephiroth handed the newspaper over without complaint. Genesis would see it eventually anyways and if he really wanted to make it in SOLDIER he would have to stomach such news as well. Besides, it wasn't really that different from the usual blabla.

"I have to make a call, suit yourself."

Laying the pieces of paper in front of him on the bed, the red haired SOLDIER began to read, a hum being his only answer to Sephiroth's statement. Expecting nothing but more lies and inequities, he scanned the page slowly. He wasn't surprised that his name wasn't even mentioned at all. Lazard had said they wanted to keep the incident under cover, so this was only anticipated. Furthermore, there was a detailed report on Sephiroth's actions to save the nameless Third Class – he wasn't even going to think of this person as himself, no, no.

What did surprise him was the interview where the silver haired idol talked about achievements within ShinRa and how they should all come and join. It was not unusual for something like this to appear in public, but Genesis couldn't recall the other saying anything about an interview. He didn't even recall Sephiroth having time for that interview. He should ask him about it.

Meanwhile Sephiroth had turned away and dialed a number on his cell, waiting for someone to answer. Nothing happened though, so he tried again but with pretty much the same outcome. Frowning he snapped the phone shut. Strange, his brothers should be home by now and they knew that he would be calling to see if everything was all right. Maybe they were having lunch just now and didn't hear the phone... He would try again later.

Genesis seemed to have finished his studies as well, and he hadn't exploded yet. Maybe they were making progress. "Remember how the incident is portrayed there and if someone should ask you, that is how it happened," he said tiredly, sitting down on his bed again, one leg bent, the other stretched out into the room.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm learning it by heart, I got it." Laying his head onto the blanket, Genesis waved his hand dismissively. "Not quite the story I had hoped for, but well… whatever. But when did you give that interview?" He brushed the newspaper from his view to the floor, hoping it would rot somewhere there and he would forget about the whole incident.

"I didn't. The Midgar Times is part of the ShinRa empire." Sephiroth rubbed over his eyes. It was self-explanatory that the interview was conducted by a creative ShinRa executive who would maybe get a nice bonus at the end of the year for keeping his mouth shut. Sephiroth didn't really care anymore; he had to appear in way too many public events already.

"Ah…" A vacant noise left the smaller's plush lips. There was really nothing he could reply to that. Sephiroth seemed to just accept all the shit ShinRa put upon him and Genesis knew it was not his duty nor his job to stand up against that. Even if he had wanted to, that was.

He turned away to face the boring ceiling again. The silence was somewhat unsettling to him. He wasn't used to quiet, so the only thing it made him feel was itchy. He wanted to say something, anything, just to end this awfully awkward moment, but there was nothing that came to his empty mind.

To fill the silence Sephiroth pulled out his phone again and tried to reach his brothers, and still no one answered. It was not unusual enough that he was getting really worried, but he wasn't happy about it either. Well, he needed to stop being a mother hen, so he would just sit here, do nothing... and stare out of the window, which was incredibly boring…

He remembered that there was a newspaper in the room somewhere, but he didn't believe the crap ShinRa fabricated on a daily basis anyway. That left Genesis as the only source of potential entertainment in the room. Immediately the very unwelcome image of the naked redhead under the shower infiltrated his mind and he shoved it away. Obviously his disciplinary measures hadn't worked. And it would most likely not happen again.

Out of the corner of his eye Genesis noticed Sephiroth watching him, even though he seemed to be lost in thought. He could tell from the unmoving jade eyes that didn't seem to acknowledge him when he openly turned his head to face him. He wondered what the other was thinking about at the moment. Perhaps his failed phone call, or the incident with ShinRa? Perhaps the fan boys, or his brothers?

_You're wondering way too much for someone who does not care about Sephiroth_, that annoying little voice told him deviously. Genesis shoved it aside, without giving it a second thought.

Forcing himself from his wandering thoughts, Sephiroth clinically assessed that it was most likely a wise idea to talk about the shower incident. He didn't want Genesis to get any wrong ideas and they were supposed to live together now so they better be frank about such things. "By the way, the joint masturbation in the shower was a one time occurrence," the Second Class announced, his expression stoic and utterly unfazed.

At first he doubted that he had understood Sephiroth correctly, but when his shocked gaze was met only by that flat, expressionless look, Genesis assumed that the other had said exactly what he had heard. A deep blush crept up his neck and painted his cheeks in tomato red. Okay, this was one of those conversations you never want to have in your whole life, like… when you talk to your parents about your lost virginity or… about morning boners. A no-go, absolutely.

Genesis' facial expression didn't change for quite a while, still pure disbelief and jolt written all over it.

"From your silence I assume that you agree the incident will not be repeated and that it was simply an outlet for built up, sexual tension." Sephiroth leaned back, satisfied that they had solved this issue so easily. Maybe he had misjudged Genesis; he wasn't as hysteric and melodramatic as Sephiroth had assumed him to be...

"It was rather _your_ outlet for your sexual tension." Genesis replied, still shell-shocked but still able to comprehend what the other had just said. "I certainly wasn't the one who jumped your bones."

He didn't like where this was going, nor was he liking the way Sephiroth thought about this. Genesis didn't believe in love at first sight, or sex that was only possible related to a deeper meaning, but being simply an 'outlet' for anyone's tension was definitely upsetting him.

"Is that so? I remember you being quite needy." Sephiroth lifted a brow, looking a bit defensive. He seldomly had affairs, since he had to maintain an image and he usually vented his sexual energy during training. He didn't want to believe that he had actually been sexually attracted to Genesis.

"Well, excuse me, but I'd like to see you keeping a stoic expression when someone is stroking your dick like that." Genesis said, outraged. He wasn't needy and decisively not for Sephiroth in any way.

"I know about my dick stroking abilities and I doubt that I would ever make such faces," Sephiroth retorted immediately and pretty much without thinking. It wasn't like he had ever watched himself getting off, so he was taking a pretty wild guess. "Anyway, it will not happen again."

"Ha, so you do what? Take pictures of yourself while being jerked off? Come on, there's a major difference between _someone_ jerking you off and you jerking _yourself _off." Genesis spat vindictively. He sat up and brushed his hair away with an excessive gesture. "Not like I wanted it to happen in the first place."

"What are you now, an expert on masturbation?" Sephiroth shot back, crossing his arms. All this talking about dicks and masturbation wasn't exactly helping him to cope with the needs that he hadn't been able to diffuse today by training.

"No, but at least I know what I'm actually talking about." Genesis' voice barked, his eyes ablaze with anger and annoyance. Mirroring Sephiroth's defensive stance, he crossed his arms too, his injured arm throbbing tiredly at the unwanted motion, but he didn't care about that now.

"Oh really. I somehow doubt that, _country boy_," Sephiroth snorted, lifting his chin a bit.

"Country boy?" Genesis incensed, shooting daggers at the man across the room. "Well, excuse me, but I on the other hand doubt that you have any idea when it comes to sex and masturbation, _ShinRa_ boy."

"It didn't seem like that the day before yesterday, you got off pretty fast if I remember correctly," the SOLDIER retorted, standing up in barely withheld agitation. There was a lot he could stomach, but his sexual prowess was being attacked here!

"In your dreams. If you call that fast, you have no idea." A growl left the back of his throat as he scrambled to his feet, a little less elegantly than Sephiroth had done, but he was unable to use his body's full force, for god's sake. "So tell me then, Great Sephiroth. Who has taught you to do such naughty things, when you are so obviously not interested in anyone but yourself? Oh, let me guess. You've done Lazard, that would explain your high position, too."

That was enough. Sephiroth was a pretty patient and stoic person, but even he had his limits. Genesis pushed them constantly and now he had crossed the line. Growling, Sephiroth grabbed the imperious redhead by the collar and shoved him against the wall. "No... but I've had some raping experience."

The smaller struggled against Sephiroth's tight hold, even though it was a pointless exercise. "Yeah sure, _you..._" he choked, showing that he didn't believe the other at all.

"Is that a challenge?" Sephiroth growled lowly, the warmth and proximity getting to him, making his head swim. Just what was it with this damn runt?

"It's scepticism, now let me go." Genesis snapped harshly, the nails of his left hand digging deeply into the taller man's hand. Being this close to Sephiroth suddenly making it difficult to maintain his anger. Even though they had only shared one intimate moment together, Genesis was involuntarily reminded of that specific moment, the bottom of his stomach churning with heat. _Stop it now, this is a serious situation_, he told his body, furious at himself for even considering being with the silver haired man another time.

Something solid pressed against Sephiroth's leg and he tilted his head in sarcasm, as well as perplexity. Dammit, this was not going to end well...

"I would say that_ that_ is a pretty, solid erection you have there," he observed somewhat smugly, ignoring the pain in his hand and his own hardness. "It kind of contradicts your words."

The red-head blushed despite himself, glaring irately at the man in front of him, who was still holding his neck like he wanted to suffocate him. "Fuck off…" he ground out, trying to get his body under control again, but it was too late for that. He hated that Sephiroth seemed to have so much power over him.

"Am I supposed to take that literally?" Sephiroth almost purred, taking a great pleasure in seeing Genesis' cheeks heat up like that. Restraining his roommate like this also made his cock twitch a bit and demand attention almost painfully. It suddenly occurred to him that he may not be physically able to just withdraw anymore...

His face was by now matching his hair color and Genesis found this extremely embarrassing, to put it simply. "No, you are not supposed to do that," he said lowly, doing his best to gather up the last pieces of self-control that prevented him from jumping the other's bones then and there.

"And I am certainly not the only one reacting to this rather provoking situation." He stated almost neutrally, if it weren't for the light pant in his voice. The skin contact, even if it was just Sephiroth's hand on his neck, was leaving a tickling feeling in his body and teasing his nerves and senses.

"You are a horrible liar," Sephiroth snorted, not able to resist and loosening his grip, letting his fingers slowly glide down Genesis' throat. Whenever Genesis moved he ground their groins together, and their bodies rubbing against each other wasn't helping at all. No matter what they said, their hormones had now gotten the better of them. And Sephiroth was pretty horny, he admitted that, if only to himself. He didn't want to let go, he wanted hot, angry sex, and the realization made him groan in half misery and half delight.

There was no way he was going to get out of this, not without one of them doing the other or both doing both. No. fucking. way.

"At least I have the decency to lie, unlike others…" Genesis said flatly, hoping that if he could make this conversation go on, they would eventually lose interest in one another. It was a futile try though. His erection was already starting to throb painfully against its prison and he could feel Sephiroth pressing hard against him too. If he squirmed, he would only get more aroused, yet if he stayed quiet, it was the exact same thing. But right now, the red-head didn't even know if he wanted this to stop.

The fingers on his throat now caressed him almost tenderly, in contrast to the rush and anger that had dominated their contact before. But this was not what he wanted, Genesis realized suddenly. He didn't want Sephiroth to be tender and loving, he wanted him unruly and enraged, as he was. Glaring at the other, he dug his nails deeper into white, immaculate flesh, deep enough to draw small droplets of blood, yet holding Sephiroth's intense gaze.

The other growled and slapped Genesis right in the face, though more reprimanding than violently, and his hold on the redhead's throat tightened again. "There is nothing decent about you. You are a potty mouthed, heedless brat and you desperately need someone to show you your place." The last attempt to do so had proven futile, but maybe Sephiroth had been too soft back then? He pressed Genesis harder against the wall, with his free hand gripping the redhead's hair and yanking his head back to expose his throat further and bite into it, not exacly gently.

With that he had stunned the other into silence for a short moment. The dull ache on his cheek proved to Genesis that he hadn't imagined what had just happened, but that Sephiroth had really dared to touch his precious face in a way that was not careful.

"How do you dare?" he snarled, the sound being drowned by the low noise that escaped him when the silver haired man started to pay special, slightly painful attention to his neck. "If you leave any kind of marks, I'll fucking kill you," he cursed, but it didn't sound honest, even to himself. Closing his eyes under the keen assault, he suppressed the moan that wanted to escape him. Now they were getting somewhere, and just now Genesis didn't care anymore what his body decided to do; as long it felt good, he was in.

His left hand twined into Sephiroth's long silver hair, fisting and pulling it a little harder.

His teeth sinking into tender flesh Sephiroth growled lowly at the treatment, the sound reverberating against Genesis' throat. Sephiroth gave the youth a hard push, forcing his knee between the redhead's legs and spreading them open. He wasn't impressed by the threat at all, and it showed in his hand tearing at the other's shirt and slipping underneath. However, Sephiroth was careful about the injured arm; he didn't want to do any lasting, severe damage to the boy.

A surprised gasp escaped Genesis' throat, so light that is was barely audible, yet he was sure that the other had heard it quite well, considering the twitch of the cock that he felt against his own. And even though this should be embarrassing or outrageous, he felt neither of the two, he just felt utterly blissful and aroused. And Sephiroth's nibbling – better, biting – didn't do anything against it.

Bucking his hips forward, Genesis ground against the other's groin, enjoying the feeling of their covered, hot erections against one another. His chest and belly twitched at the sudden contact with Sephiroth's – rather cold… icy cold – fingers on his bare skin. "Geesh, cold," he protested, shutting up when they raked over his smooth skin, evoking another moan from him.

Sephiroth ignored the complaint and bit harder, sucking the flesh in between his teeth, tasting the salty skin. He suddenly got a clear idea of what he wanted, and so he let go of Genesis' throat, biting into his earlobe instead.

"You will suck my dick." It wasn't a question.

The smaller moaned lowly at the demand, combined with the bite on his ear. "Says who?" he asked raspily, even if just to keep up their little dominance game. It was somehow exciting and on Genesis, it showed.

"Take a wild guess," Sephiroth retorted sardonically, but his voice was laced with lust. "You must have learned something useful in your hicktown." With a swift motion their places were reversed, with Sephiroth leaning against the wall and Genesis leaning against him. The elder still held the redhead by the collar to keep him from making a run for it. At the same time he insistently pushed Genesis' head down towards his pulsing, hot cock.

As much as he despised being submissive in this situation, the red-head couldn't help but wonder how Sephiroth's lush erection would feel and taste in his mouth. Pushing his worries aside, he started fumbling with Sephiroth's zipper, although one hand was barely of use at all. Finally managing, he leaned forward and bit into the other's prominent hipbone, while drawing his trousers lower and lower.

He wandered lower, biting the skin here and there just to enjoy the small hitches in Sephiroth's breathing. Breathing in the heady scent that was radiating from certain areas and blowing air over the naked skin, he quite enjoyed the thin layer of goosebumps that spread over the assaulted skin.

Sephiroth' finger found red hair and weaved into it, getting a good grasp. His fingertips started a lazy massaging of the others scalp, while at the same time pushing Genesis' head further down. Faintly, Sephiroth remembered that they hadn't locked the door and that any unfortunate fool who dashed in now would have to die a horrible death by his bare hands. Sephiroth pushed up his pelvis encouragingly, his erection darkening with need.

"Put it in your mouth."

Genesis tsked his tongue at the other's urgency, but complied anyways. As soon as his lips touched the sensitive head, it twitched slightly, hopefully, and he couldn't help but smirk at it. His tongue darted out to taste the soft, yet pulsing skin, savoring the taste for a moment. He licked his way down to the base, his hand aiding him as it wrapped around Sephiroth's length, pumping it slowly but firmly. "Quite eager, aren't we?"

"Quite slow, aren't we?" Sephiroth instantly retorted, but then he clenched his teeth. It didn't matter how waspish and difficult Genesis pretended to be; they both wanted this apparently, and their bantering spiced things up. Sephiroth decided that he didn't feel like making an elaborate analysis of interpersonal relationships and simply looked down, enjoying the sight, gyrating his pelvis lightly. Genesis' tongue on his dick sent sparks into his belly, inflaming it.

The grip in Genesis' hair tightened.

Bristling at the tight hold on his hair, Genesis bit into the skin just next to Sephiroth's dick. "Leave the hair alone, got it?" He said warningly. The other could hold his hair all he wanted, but if there was just one red strand leaving his head because of his harsh grip, this would end soon. And Genesis certainly didn't feel like stopping. His tongue worked its way back to the head, before he finally took the other's organ into his mouth, massaging it while taking it down deeper.

Even though he was from the countryside, that did not mean he wasn't skilled at stuff like this. Having always been the kind of guy to mess with women and men, he was indeed quite… good at what he was doing. Genesis swallowed Sephiroth's dick, testing a little.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes but loosened his grip. Besides, he was compensated soon enough when he finally got swallowed by Genesis' wet, hot mouth. As Sephiroth had suspected, the boy had some experience; but what else was there to do in a small town? One had to get creative and Genesis certainly was. The sight of his cock vanishing between swollen lips and emerging partly, moist and glistening made Sephiroth's balls tighten, but there was still a long way to go to make him cum.

Appreciating the taller's actions, Genesis hummed around his erection, sending the vibrations through the pulsing organ, knowing exactly what its effect was. His hand left the base, reaching further down to play teasingly with Sephiroth's balls, while swallowing him deeper until he was sure that his gag reflex would kick in if he got any further. Licking along the prominent vein, he started to bob his head, his teeth occasionally scratching lightly over the skin in his mouth.

Sephiroth was enjoying the treatment very much, sagging a bit against the wall. The loud noises Genesis was making went straight back to his loins. A fine sweat had broken out on his body, his belly muscles flexed from his strained breathing. All right, Genesis quite knew what he was doing; Sephiroth could feel his cock bump against the boy's throat and it sent shudders down his spine. In turn Genesis loved how Sephiroth's body was quaking under his treatment, the quiet noises and sped up breathing giving the powerful SOLDIER away. Genesis smiled faintly around the cock inside his mouth, closing his eyes, while letting it brush against the back of his throat, hollowing his cheeks rapidly.

Increasing the speed a little, Genesis continued massaging the thick sacks in his hand, brushing over them lightly. Tasting precum in his mouth, he couldn't help but moan lowly at the taste.

The needy little noises from below and the sight of a hot-cheeked Genesis looking up at him with his cock in his mouth finally drove Sephiroth over the edge. A shudder went through his body, shaking his brain, as warm semen spurted from his cock into Genesis mouth, spilling further down the redhead's throat. Not caring about the consequences, Sephiroth's grip tightened again in red hair as he shoved his erection into the moist heat one more time before letting go.

"You are an excellent cocksucker," the silver haired man finally said, only a little bit wryly.

Swallowing everything Sephiroth had to give him, Genesis gave the other's softening cock one last flick of his tongue, before pulling away, unconsciously licking over his swollen lips where some of the semen had escaped. "Why, thank you," he said cockily. Making the taller man come for him like that had done a lot to boost his ego. Temporarily ignoring the ache of his own still rock-hard erection, Genesis sat back on his knees, looking up at Sephiroth with that smug grin spread all over his face.

"You are welcome." Sephiroth smirked back at him. He felt too good right now to be sarcastic or argumentative. With slightly lazy movements he shoved his manhood back into his pants and buttoned them.

"Need some help with that?" he asked, pointing at the tent in his Genesis' own pants.

Tbc?

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Mary replying/_BMIK replying_

Kkate: I'm really glad you enjoy the story :) The world needs more Sephesis *draws little hearts around Gen and Sephy* Thanks for commenting! _You are very welcome, thank you for your review! XD I second Mary's statement: more Sephesis for a better world!_

Shadow Haloed Angel: Here's the update :D A little later than expected but… you know~ Hope you're not angry! It's what one thinks nurses are like. I've never been to hospital so I can't tell but I know a lot of people, who say their nurses have been just like that xD Awesome imo! Thanks for reviewing. _Hey darling! Haha, nurses can be ebol! (I should know, a few friends of mine are nurses and you def don't want to mess with them XDD). Hm, I wonder too, Seph can be real dense sometimes... Thank you for reviewing!_

omgitskirby: Thank you :) We most likely will, don't worry ;) _Second that! Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy^^_

aubrieta: Haha, isn't it? I got to know him through stories as well and I think it's way better than the way he's pictured in the real game :D Omg, I think Seph would slay any fanboy around him… Better not letting him room with one xD Thanks for the comment :D I'm glad you like Gen here! _Yay, thank you! It is fun getting to know Genesis for me too, because every writer has another perspective on him and I think Mary is doing such a great job! And I agree with you; a cute fanboy would be doomed XD Thank you for reading and commenting *huggles*_

Sweetciel: Aw, I'm happy you like him :D It's so much fun to write him this way xD Such a cutie pie Uh uh, I love our Seph! He's… well so different from 'normally' but is still not OOC at all :D *hugs BMIK* Thanks for commenting, dear! _Isn't he the cutest thing evar? XD I wanna cuddle up with him too *sigh* I am glad you like it so far and then we can continue to please you!^^_

Soyna: Thanks a lot :D Such words from you, I'm flattered :) I hope you enjoy the next chap ;) _Gawds, I so hear you... the day should have 48 hours so I can catch up with all the wonderful fics out there! -.- I'm happy you like it so far, thank you for reviewing! *snuggle*_

**Thank you, you awesome people! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter as well, comment please!^^**_  
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	7. Chapter 7

**It has been a while... Still in the middle of my thesis, got a job and trying to write and update *sigh* But here is chapter 7, finally! Many many thanks to the wonderful aubrieta for betaing!**

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Chapter 7

"Who am I to decline such a tempting offer?" the red-head purred, his eyes sparkling with suppressed need and craving. Having Sephiroth's cock shoved down his throat had had its effect, as the bulge in his pants made most painfully obvious.

"Lay down," Sephiroth said, getting onto the bed as well. With Genesis' injury it would be easier if he lay on his back so his arm wouldn't get in the way. Sephiroth reached out to carefully spread the redhead's legs a bit and open his pants, revealing the youth's excited erection. It was a bit dewy with precum and Sephiroth smeared it over the head with his thumb as he reached around the tip and pulled it a bit.

Genesis' breath caught at the attention to his cock, his muscles cramping a little. A low moan escaped his red, parted lips and he laid his head back onto the soft cushion of the bed, his hand grasping into the moon spun strands that fell around Sephiroth's head in a fan. He noticed absent-mindedly that they were surprisingly soft, softer even than they looked.

Normally Sephiroth didn't like people touching his hair and it seemed as if they were magically drawn to it, but it didn't bother him much right now. Genesis seemed strangely vulnerable as Sephiroth turned his eyes back to the object at hand, giving it a few firm strokes, before he lowered his head. He could count the people he had given a blow job to on one hand, but he figured that it was only fair to return the favor now, so he let his tongue dart out to flick it over the swollen tip.

The red-head gasped at the sudden touch, shivers running up and down his spine as a whimper left the depth of his throat. This should have been embarrassing, being completely exposed, reduced to a moaning, helpless, mess, but right now he had no time or will to care. His thighs flexed abruptly, drawing together at the prickle in his stomach and loins.

Pleased at the reaction he got, Sephiroth lowered his head a bit further, taking the head into his mouth. It fit neatly and tasted nice, he assessed. Since he wasn't turned on anymore due to his earlier release his mind was clear and precise in what he was doing and able to observe this very interesting situation. His tongue licked over the underside of Genesis' pulsing shaft, taking it in bit by bit. When he was half way Sephiroth withdrew a bit and went down again in a slow, deliberate motion.

"Shit," Genesis cursed brokenly, his fingers entangling into the smooth hair, yet not too much to make it uncomfortable. His dizzy brain was slowly processing what was going on. Sephiroth was sucking his dick… without him asking him to do so. Though he should be astonished by this, he couldn't be because… hey, Sephiroth was going down on him and it felt amazing.

The low rumble of ecstasy made his stomach curl, his muscles flex and he knew that orgasm wasn't far.

Sephiroth let the insides of his hollowed cheeks glide along Genesis' cock as he relaxed his throat and took the young man in to the hilt. What with the bucking up of the redhead's hips he had to hold them still, placing both his hands on either side. Genesis wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, Sephiroth could see and taste it, as salty precum filled his mouth.

A cracked moan echoed through the room, low and ecstatic, as Genesis' lean body arched from the body, his face contorted in pleasure and fervor, his hips lifting up against Sephiroth's firm hold.

Riding out the aftershocks, the red-head lay still for a while, trying to catch his breath, eyes closed and just enjoying the pleasantly plush feeling that had settled deep inside his mind and body.

Sephiroth sat up, wiping at his mouth, looking down at the redhead. He seemed to be at peace, calm and relaxed and quite beautiful, but that side of him would be gone soon enough, Sephiroth was relatively certain. Turning to sit at the edge of the bed he rested his chin on his palm and pensively looked through the room. Now this had solved absolutely nothing, save for some sexual tension. But the main point hadn't been made and right now the silver haired man didn't feel like discussing it again. There seemed to be something between them that was more than just rivalry, anger and annoyance, but he had yet to figure out what it was. In any case, this had gotten way more personal than Sephiroth had expected it to get. Still, Genesis was by no means an ally and if he got too full of himself he would get into the line of friendly fire.

The man he was thinking about blew a strand of his hair out of his slightly sweaty face, before using his hand to brush it away. He didn't say anything about it. There was nothing to say. What they had been discussing was exactly what had happened now – and he was still annoyed that Sephiroth didn't seem to value him. Yet he couldn't bring himself to be angry.

Throwing a glance at Sephiroth, Genesis knew what he was thinking about. Sighing, he pulled his trousers up again, closing them with a short struggle before sitting up. "You know… you think too much," he said calmly.

"Someone has to," Sephiroth replied lazily. He threw a look at his cell phone to see what time it was and if his brothers may have tried to call him, but there were no messages. "Are you hungry now? I will get food."

"But you are not the one who always has to," Genesis frowned, while trying to bring his hair back into shape. He caught Sephiroth's not so concealed glance fleetingly. "A bit, yeah…"

Sephiroth let the first comment slide and stood up, quickly straightening his uniform. "Just wait here, I will get something."

And with that he went out of the room, closing the door behind him. His cellphone lay forgotten on the bed, hidden between the sheets when suddenly it started ringing and blinking quite vehemently.

Genesis, who had just lain back, fuming over the topic and the man at hand – or rather outside, getting something to eat – twitched, startled, turning to find the source of the dubious noise. Finally locating it somewhere on his bed, he searched around between the blanket, his fingers brushing against something that was vibrating accusingly against them. He hesitated. It was Sephiroth's cellphone after all, he should not answer it because it was none of his business.

But Sephiroth was expecting that call and perhaps Genesis could just say that the other was busy right now, that they should call back in a few minutes. Settling on the latter, he grabbed the phone, flipped it open and started to venture a tentative 'Hello' but he wasn't even given the chance.

"Sephiroooooth," came a loud, long whine from the speaker that belonged to a kid, more precisely Kadaj. Apparently he was upset, so he didn't even wait for the other to confirm or deny that identity and stated his business between large sobs. "It's te-te-terrible! Yazoo brought home some g-g-guy again and I told h-him I hated it and he s-s-said I should stop being a b-brat and grow up and th-then I was ma-mad and I to-told Loz and Loz got really really a-angry and started to f-fight with Yazoo and then he beat that gu-guy into a bloody pulp and no-now we're in bi-big trouble and I dunno what to doooo!"

The first thing that came to Genesis' mind was 'Oh fuck'. This definitely wasn't good. Sephiroth wasn't here and now there he was, expected to cope with a family situation he had never been in before. Most definitely not good.

"Kadaj, please calm down," he said softly instead. "I'm sorry, your brother isn't around right now, but he'll be back soon." At least he hoped so. Oh, how he couldn't stand to hear the child cry, for god's sake.

"What? Where is he?" Kadaj hitched, partly incredulous, partly crestfallen. "What am I supposed to do now? The guy is bleeding all over the carpet and Yazoo and Loz are still fight-" the rest of the word was swallowed by a loud crashing noise in the background and low, incomprehensible voices hissing at each other.

"Please, everything's okay… just… wait, stay out of trouble. I'm going to find your brother okay? Should I stay on the phone?" Genesis got up from the bed, practically storming out of the room, at a loss of where to go to search for Sephiroth first. Perhaps he should go to the cafeteria, he would most likely be there. 'Good idea, smarty pants', the little voice in his head hissed angrily, at the same time urging him to calm Kadaj down somehow.

"Look, Kadaj, you gotta calm down first okay? You don't have to be afraid." He babbled on, if only just to make the poor kid stop sobbing so heartbrokenly.

"Yeah, ok, I'm not really afraid or anything," Kadaj stated, sounding strangely resigned now. "It's not the first time that this has happened... it's just that Seph is less angry when I pretend to be all traumatized, you know..." Despite his cocky words it was still clear that Kadaj was uncomfortable and unhappy with the situation. Someone behind him, most likely Loz, had started to shout. The guy on the carpet was still breathing, but his face looked horribly swollen and Kadaj just wanted this to be over.

"That's the spirit," Genesis said encouragingly, trying to decide on what to say. "Could you put me on speaker? The two of them should calm down, otherwise I can see your brother turning into the Hulk." His march along the endless halls continued, trying to catch a glimpse of silver hair somewhere, but Sephiroth seemed to have vanished.

Arriving at the canteen, he still couldn't spot him. Count on Sephiroth to be gone when you needed him.

Kadaj frowned, but pushed the button nonetheless. Instantly the angry voices of the older two became clearer and louder.

"...you became such a slut!" This must be the voice of Loz.

"It's none of your business, Loz," was the much cooler, but cutting voice of Yazoo.

"It's damn well my business, I'm the one in charge when Seph's not here!"

That was answered by unamused laughter. "Really now, you are the one in charge? If it wasn't for me you wouldn't even be able to tie your shoelaces!"

"Gen, you still there?" Kadaj suddenly asked, cupping the speaker with his hand.

"Yes, don't worry, I'm not planning on going anywhere," he said quietly, scratching the back of his head with one lost motion. "Can you get them to listen somehow?"

Perhaps he should go back upstairs… Sephiroth could be there already.

"I'll try," Kadaj said, sighing and then turning around to his brothers, who kept glaring and kicking at each other.

"Are you insinuating that I'm dumb?" Loz just growled, his fist barely missing Yazoo's face but knocking over a picture frame.

"I am not _insinuating, _I am _saying_ that you are dumb." Yazoo spat back, going for a roundhouse kick.

Kadaj stood by the doorway, a bit helplessly, but then he took a deep breath "STOP IT! NOW!" Panting, the smallest clung to the phone but at least his brothers had ceased to fight, staring at him blankly. "Telephone." Kadaj thrust the phone up and into their direction, Loz finally taking it reluctantly.

"...Hello?"

Genesis couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped him at Kadaj's way of getting his brothers to listen. The red-head had originally wanted him to just put him on speaker, so he'd be able to talk to them, but well… Kadaj was obviously skilled at what he was doing. The other soldiers eyed him suspiciously at the not so manly noise that had escaped him but Genesis didn't care. He had to focus on the task at hand.

"Hello, Loz, this is Genesis. Remember me?" First things first.

"I do remember you... I think," Loz said slowly, frowning a bit and throwing Yazoo an uncertain look but he only got a sneer, so he straightened. He was just glad that it wasn't Seph. "You're the guy we visited in the hospital. What's up?"

"Right," Genesis said at length. "Okay, listen. Stop arguing with your brother and pick the semi-dead guy up from the carpet before the blood sticks there forever." He sounded like a mother, okay. "And then tell me what the problem is…"

"Uhm..." Loz thought for a moment if he should object, because this was really none of Genesis' business, but Kadaj glared at him and there were dried tears on his cheeks and they really needed to figure this out before Seph found out.

"...okay. Hold this." He thrust the phone back into Kadaj's hand and waltzed over to the guy on the carpet. Heaving him up he slapped him a few times to wake him up. The guy started to shiver and thrash as he saw himself in Loz' grip again but since he seemed fine otherwise - save for two black eyes and a split lip - Loz just pushed him out of the apartment and banged the door shut behind him. Yazoo watched the scene with indifference.

"Okay, the guy's gone," Kadaj informed Genesis, scratching with his foot at a little puddle of blood that had dried up already.

"Okay, good so far." At the other end of the phone, Genesis sighed, finally having arrived at their door and went in. Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen. So much for searching for the other. "I need one of your brothers to tell me exactly what's going on, Kadaj," he said softly, while dropping onto his bed. A click sounded and Kadaj had handed him to Yazoo, who looked rather reluctant to take it.

"Yes?"

"Yazoo… tell me what has happened."

"I owe you no explanation at all," Yazoo replied not unfriendly but decidedly. He didn't get why people kept taking the phone if it was on speaker anyways.

"Then_ I'll_ tell ya," Loz said gruffly, snatching the phone and pacing the room in agitation. "He's always bringing in those freaks even though he's not allowed to and they scare Kadaj and he doesn't care at all! So it's all his fault for getting us into trouble!"

"You bring your friends here and no one complains, and besides it wasn't me who beat him up and got blood all over the carpet," Yazoo pointed out sharply.

"Yeah? But I don't bring another 'friend' every damn night!"

Kadaj watched the discussion that was close to turning into a fist fight again and winced.

"Guys, calm down, please." Genesis said decisively. "I know you don't know me… but believe me if I say I want to help. But I need your help for that okay? You both agree on that you don't want to hurt or scare Kadaj, right? And you don't want to cause problems for Sephiroth?"

There was a moment of silence, before Yazoo muttered reluctantly "Yes." Still his eyes were narrowed as he stared at the phone in cold defiance. Loz had folded his strong arms over his bulky chest, looking strict and patronizing, which stirred Yazoo's ire again. "There is a conflict of interest here, which cannot be solved that easily."

A relieved breath escaped Genesis when he heard Yazoo giving in. It was a step into the right direction at least. "Try me," he said encouragingly and waited. He could hear the two brothers breathe on the other side of the line, he could practically feel the tension between them. This wasn't a problem that had arisen just now, this was something deeply rooted in the past. Perhaps not the really long-ago-past because he assumed Yazoo hadn't started dating that long ago, but this seemed to be a situation that had happened more than once before.

Just then Sephiroth came back, opening the door with his elbow, two trays in hand. Seeing Genesis with his phone he stopped, tilting his head in question. On the other end of the line, Yazoo replied, "I have a life as well and I'm sick of being responsible all the time."

Genesis waved at his incoming roommate dismissively, motioning him to not talk to him now because he was busy listening to the issues of a boy in puberty. "But nobody expects you to be, you should just be considerate of the people around you, you know? Nobody wants you to act like a parent around your brothers and who does so, does not know what they are talking about. But you definitely should think before acting. Living your own life is one thing, but hurting others is another." He couldn't believe how wise he was behaving right now, it was creepy, definitely.

At that Sephiroth looked alarmed, setting the trays down and coming closer to hear who Genesis was talking to. He had a suspicion and it made his stomach clench.

"Oh really," was the dead-pan answer from the youth. "And you know that from your own experience living with a brat and an imbecile." There was a shout of angry protest from Loz, but Yazoo ignored it. "I have no _own life_ and that is the point." He sounded somewhat tired and deep down Yazoo might have been aware that he was simply overwhelmed. Sephiroth did his best to support them, so Yazoo did what he could as well. Still, he was only a teenager and the feelings of powerlessness he had were somehow compensated by a very strange form of rebellion that manifested itself in his recent promiscuity.

"No, I don't." Genesis answered honestly. There was no point in lying to Sephiroth's brother and he wouldn't do so just to make his position clear. He had other plans for doing so. "It might be that way… did you ever think about talking to Loz about it? If you feel too wound up in family issues to live your own young life why not start sharing some responsibility with your brother? I doubt he's as silly as you make him out to be. I think he's perfectly capable of playing his role at home too, if you let him."

"Yeah!" Loz echoed from the background, puffing out his chest and nodding his head frantically.

"Maybe, but that doesn't make me see why I shouldn't have the right to bring my boyfriends over. It's not like we can go to a hotel or anything," Yazoo pointed out sardonically. Sephiroth heard it very well and dark shadows began to cloud his expression. Apparently he was familiar with this discussion.

"What's this all about?" he growled, trying to reach for the phone. "We discussed this already, Yazoo!"

"Shush." Genesis waved at him and jumped out of the other's reach. "Go do something else, I'll fix this, okay?" Then he turned his attention back to Yazoo again. He knew this problem, even though he had had parents at home, who hadn't wanted to know about his affairs, while Yazoo had a child around. Not exactly the same scenario.

"Like boyfriends in boyfriends as something serious, or just somebody to fuck?" he asked nonchalantly. "Because if it's something serious you should at some point introduce them to your family, but if you just wanna fuck… yeah you know, you have to take Kadaj into consideration, right? I don't like restricting my life for others but if there is somebody worth it, you should just do it. I wouldn't tell you not to meet with guys and have a little fun on occasion, but I'm sure you don't necessarily _have_ to bring them home." And Genesis did quite suspect that Yazoo brought them home on purpose, and his tone made it clear.

"No one is fucking anyone!" Sephiroth hissed, apparently outraged at the thought that his little brother had something resembling a sex life. Again he attempted to take the phone from Genesis and solve the problem his way, namely by giving the boys a lecture and threatening them with sanctions. Maybe because of the mixed signals he received Yazoo remained quiet. Besides, he wasn't used to having reasonable discussions about this; Sephiroth just threw a fit and forbid him to have any contacts and that was the end of their 'discussion'. Beside him, Kadaj piped up, trying to contribute something useful "I don't mind if you bring your boyfriend...s once a week or so..."

Again Genesis batted the silver haired's hand away, sending him an evil glare that told him to stay away. He seemed to be getting to the bottom of the problem, which was not Yazoo being overworked and overloaded with responsibility and work but – surprisingly somehow – his big brother.

"I said you should let me fix this and then everybody can live happily ever after," he snapped at the taller man in front of him, holding the phone away from Sephiroth.

Sephiroth was too stunned by the verbal attack to react for a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes though and stepped closer again. "This has nothing to do with you, give me the phone or I will take it from you." There was a clear threat in his words. In the boys' living room Yazoo let his hand glide over Kadaj's head in a semi-affectionate gesture. He didn't really like hurting his brother like this, but that wasn't the point anyway. "Hn," he gave in, shrugging listlessly.

"Then take it from my dying, cold hands," Genesis hissed back, glaring at Sephiroth for being so ignorant. He knew those boys could get along with some push into the right direction and even though he would never admit it, he cared for them somehow. But the tall warrior did not seem to get, or want to get, what his brother's obviously needed.

Kadaj looked at his brother with round eyes, but smiled then. He knew his older brother, and perhaps they would finally come to a solution.

"That can be arranged," Sephiroth growled, but then Loz blurted through the phone, very much audible, "Let him handle this Seph, we ain't getting nowhere otherwise!"

The oldest stiffened, surprised and not happy, but at least he didn't try to reach for the phone again. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest. "And what is your brilliant solution then," he challenged, feeling left out.

The red-head was as startled by the sudden outburst as his counterpart was, but he managed to suppress the grin that would certainly have pushed Sephiroth over the edge.

"How about this…" Genesis started then, pointing at the man across from him. "You stop behaving like a mother hen around your brothers when it's not necessary. Teenagers have to explore their sexuality at some point and there is no use in you trying to shut that down. And you three…" and now he addressed the other brothers, "keep an eye on each other and try to sense when there is something wrong. Not every little fight has to escalate like this, if you know how to prevent it."

"Sounds good to me," Loz murmured and Kadaj piped up, "Me too!" Yazoo remained quiet for a moment but after a pressing look from the youngest he finally nodded. "Fine."

Sephiroth gritted his teeth, seeing himself confronted with a phalanx.

"See," Genesis said with only the smallest hint of pride, handing the phone to the other, who reluctantly took it now. Perhaps he had taken this too far, perhaps he shouldn't have interfered with the brothers' business, but he had done so and it seemed like it had worked.

"We will talk about this on the weekend, in person," Sephiroth announced curtly and then snapped the phone shut. This conversation was far from over! He would have them explain what exactly had happened, but for now the problem seemed to be solved and he had to pick a bone with Genesis first. Shoving the phone into his pocket he glared at the redhead, barely able to hide his agitation.

"What was that all about?" he asked frostily, trying to not give in to his instincts and smash Genesis' head against the wall till it was but a bloody smear.

"Your phone rang…" The red-head shrugged. "And since I thought it was something important because before you kept watching it with a hawk's eyes, I answered it and yeah… Loz and Yazoo were just a moment away from ripping each other's heads off when Kadaj called, so I assumed it would be best to solve that tiny problem. But I see you aren't too happy about it." His eyebrows arched higher in an almost arrogant way, standing there with his healthy hand on his hip and looking at Sephiroth directly.

"I am _not_ happy about it, indeed, because it is _none_ of your business," Sephiroth snapped, just one ounce short of strangling the smug bastard. Tiny? This problem wasn't 'tiny'! It threatened the cohesion of his family, their moral upbringing and his sanity! "And how did you 'solve' anything? If anything you made it worse! 'Go explore your sexuality'- are you mental?"

"No, I don't know about any problem with my mental stability, thank you very much," Genesis barked back, his eyes becoming ablaze with anger. "I'm just being realistic, Sephiroth. You cannot keep them from the truths of the world, no matter how much you'd like to do that. And what a pathetic hypocrite are you, forbidding them something that you yourself indulge in so greatly."

"You are not being realistic, you are being sick. Advising my 13 year old brother to go fuck around? What is wrong with you?" Sephiroth pushed a hand through his hair, pulling back his bangs, staring at Genesis with much more incredulity than anger.

"You do know that **you** are the one encouraging him to do so, by forbidding it so vehemently, don't you?" A sharp breath left his nostrils as an expression of anger. "If you had just talked to him instead of obviously just letting the topic drop with a prohibition, this wouldn't have happened."

"There is nothing to talk about, he is thirteen, he is a child and I've had it with this discussion!" Sephiroth flared, his brain already occupied with creating a plan for damage control. "Encouraging him to be a slut will certainly solve the problem, I am so grateful for your brilliant contribution oh wise one," he snorted, shaking his head and then lashing at his tray, kicking it from the bed in frustration because if he didn't it would be Genesis' face that would be meeting his boot.

"That's exactly the problem, Sephiroth." Genesis raged vehemently. "If you want to care for them, which I do not doubt at all, you cannot say that a topic is through when it's not. With children you have to talk about things over and over and over again before they will start to slightly see what you are hinting at. It is not as simple with a family as it is with ShinRa. You cannot _command_ them to obey as you can with the SOLDIERs." Tossing his hair back, he fired daggers at Sephiroth's back. "At least I achieved some progress without anyone getting hurt."

"No one getting hurt? That remains to be seen," Sephiroth growled, turning around and walking over to his bed. He wasn't hungry anymore and he didn't want to talk about this with Genesis of all people. He suddenly regretted not getting rid of the redhead when he had had the chance.

"Great, just punish me with silence. It's what you are obviously best at anyways…" Genesis said angrily, lying down on his bed again and crossing his arms in front of his chest. If Sephiroth wanted to have it his way, he could have it. Not that the red-head needed his company at all.

tbc?

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**Many thanks to Shadow Haloed Angel and Soyna for the reviews! Is it just me** **or is interest waning? Well, I hope those of you who still read enjoy** **it^^ **


	8. Chapter 8

**I bring new chapter! Hah, that took a while, sorry! It is entirely my fault, because I had to finish my master's thesis (which I FINALLY did, thank Gaia XD). **

**We hope you like it and we'd like to thank the awesome aubrieta/danslalune for the terrific betaing, as well as hypnoticaa, soyna, Shadow Haloed Angel, Anonymous Banana, Eva and botanthegrimreaper89 for their wonderful comments! You keep this story going! *kisses***

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Chapter 8

The next few days were mainly spent in silence. Sephiroth gave Genesis the silent treatment, because he had nothing nice to say anyway. It wasn't made easier by the fact that he had to take care of Genesis due to the latter's injuries, but they didn't exchange more words than absolutely necessary. It was also because of Genesis that Sephiroth didn't get the weekend off, which only added to the tension between them. On Saturday morning Sephiroth helped Genesis with his morning hygiene, then dropped the redhead off in their room and just as wordlessly got back to the bathroom to take care of his own stuff.

The red-head had by now come to terms with being ignored and was doing quite well with being on his own. Sephiroth would eventually notice that he was right, no matter how long it might take and he would not be the one backing down. He hated being unable to do things for himself and hated even more that he needed the man's help. He also knew that Sephiroth would have loved to spend time with his brothers at home, since it was supposed to be his week off. Yet it had not been Genesis' decision and he would not allow himself to feel sorry for the man.

While the redhead pondered their fight, three little figures inquired their way through the grey halls. Outside the sky was pregnant with dark clouds that cast everything into a depressing, dull light.

"We're lost," Kadaj declared for the umpteenth time, one second short of stomping his little foot on the ground and refusing to go any further. Only Yazoo's morose, warning look stopped him from throwing a tantrum.

"I'm not lost!" Loz objected hotly, to play down the fact that he had no idea where in this endless maze of equally dark hallways they were. Eventually he huffed and rapped at one of the doors to ask for the way, unaware that he had found the right one by accident.

Stomping in and asking rather rudely where SOLDIER Second Class Sephiroth's room was, Loz stood in the doorway, when he noticed a familiar bundle of vibrant red sitting on the bed near the door. He was looking at him with amusement twinkling in his eyes, laying a book down that appeared to be quite old and worn-off, yet precious.

"I found them," he said proudly, straightening his back and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Kadaj rolled his eyes and crossed his little arms over his chest, before curiosity got the better of him and he walked towards the bed where Genesis sat. "Hi. Remember me?" he asked, his eyes scanning the book. Yazoo bowed in greeting, searching the room for their brother and then tilting his head in question.

"Yes, Kadaj... am I right?" Genesis replied, hardly able to refrain from tousling the boy's hair. It was tempting, he had to admit. Seeing Yazoo's confused glance, he nodded towards the bathroom door. "I guess he'll be right back."

"Right!" Kadaj beamed. "What's that?" He pointed at the book, ruthlessly getting straight to the point like only children dare to. Loz grunted and fell onto his brother's bed. He was a bit disappointed at how plain the room was and that their brother hadn't put up a picture of them. Yazoo remained by the door quietly.

"It's a book, you know." Genesis replied with faked awe. "There are words in it which you can read, can you imagine that?" The grin on his lips gave him away though, but it was just too tempting to tease the little boy. Turning towards the middle brother, who seemed to be a bit dislocated, he smiled encouragingly. "Sit down somewhere. I promise nothing will bite you here."

Kadaj's lips pursed into a soft pout but then he just flopped down beside Genesis. "What's it about?"

"Oy brat, leave him alone," Loz grunted, stretching his arms behind his head. Meanwhile Yazoo pulled back the chair in front of Sephiroth's desk and gingerly sat down. Since their phone call he was careful what to say to Genesis.

"Ah, Kadaj, on the day I can tell you exactly what this book is about, I wanna have a crown and a scepter and be called the King of the World," the red-head said, leaning back slightly and looking at the book almost lovingly. "It's a poem about heroes."

"A poem?" Kadaj's face crunched up in distaste; he didn't like poems, they were so full of difficult words. "I like stories about heroes," he declared, "but only the cool ones. Some day there will be a book about Sephi. I think it will be soon." He purposefully ignored Loz, who turned to roll on his belly, bored.

"Don't pull such grimaces when mentioning poems little boy. They are the most beautiful works of art on earth," Genesis said in an almost lecturing tone. "But don't worry, I'm sure there will be some about your brother soon." Even though he didn't really like Sephiroth – at the moment anyway – he couldn't be so cold-hearted as to disillusion Kadaj about his brother. The boy reminded him of himself, hot-tempered and full of hopes and pride.

The thin, creaking sound of the door interrupted the light atmosphere and Genesis' form hardened automatically.

When Sephiroth entered the room, his wet towel draped around his neck, the shirt he had worn before washing himself stuck to a corner of his waistband he was surprised to say the least. Not that he wasn't happy to see them.

"What are you doing here?" he asked slowly as Kadaj attacked him in a hug already.

"We discussed poems and Genesis said that there will be many about you too, because you are a hero!" he announced breathlessly, beaming proudly up at his big brother.

"Not exactly what I said, but well…" Genesis retorted, while laying Loveless on the nightstand before facing Sephiroth again. He didn't say anything else, just watching the taller, trying not to focus on his all too exposed chest. No, he would not be caught staring now.

Kadaj sensed the tension between the two older men, but he still continued to cling to his big brother. Let Yazoo and Loz do the smart-ass talking!

Loz had gotten up as well, but he possessed more self-control and did not cling when he hugged Sephiroth. Tightly.

"We came to visit you!" Kadaj babbled, finally letting go of Sephiroth's leg to take his hand and drag him to the bed to sit down. "We wanted to surprise you, are you surprised?"

"I am surprised," the elder replied stiffly, stealing a wary glance at Genesis. The tension had risen a few notches. Yazoo kept sitting on his chair, distanced. They were not done yet and he knew it, which was why he had been reluctant to come here.

The red-head waved dismissively. "I'm not here at all, just ignore me." He knew this would not be too hard for Sephiroth, since the other had already done so the whole week. Genesis would never admit it, but it caused his stomach to curl in a painful motion, a feeling he was neither fond of nor used to.

"We nearly got lost when trying to find your room because Loz was too stupid to remember the way, but eventually we found the room because he stormed in and demanded the way to your room without noticing we were in the right room to begin with." Kadaj continued, waving his small arms to emphasize his story, ignoring Loz's indignant, 'Hey!'

"I see," Sephiroth said, finding the situation extremely awkward. "How did it go this week? Any trouble?" Of course he was hinting at the problem that had caused the fight with Genesis.

Kadaj shook his head slowly. "No, no trouble at all. Even the carpet is clean again." He didn't know if a smile was appropriate right now, so he suppressed it. He threw a helpless glance at Yazoo, then turned to look at Genesis, who was busy staring holes into his blanket.

"Yeah, everything's peachy," Loz mumbled. He was a very sensitive guy and the tension between Sephiroth and Genesis hadn't eluded him. Nonetheless, he didn't quite know what to do about it. Yazoo wasn't a big help either; he continued giving the silent treatment since he felt that everything that he might say would be used against him anyway.

"You are a hopeless bunch, really…" Genesis said from the opposite bed, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "You are beating around the bush without really getting to the point. I'm sorry to do so but somebody has to say it." He looked up again, straight into four pairs of identical eyes. It was unnerving somehow.

"Don't you have somewhere to go?" Sephiroth snapped, just as unnerved. Kadaj flinched, uncertainly pulling at his sleeves. He hated it when people fought...

"You know... he might be right, maybe we should talk about it or somethi-" Loz piped up, but he was instantly silenced by a dead glare from Sephiroth. The tension in the room was reaching a new peak and the three boys had the suspicion that it was their fault.

"No, I do not have somewhere else to go." Genesis shot right back. "And stop forcing your opinion on everybody around you. I don't care what everybody sees in you, you are just as we all are, so quit treating the whole world as inferiors already." He was fuming now. The way Sephiroth had so easily silenced Loz had pushed a button inside of him. He couldn't believe that the tall warrior would do this to his family, but he obviously had. "And now get yourself together and talk about it, man. How old are you? Four?" The venom in his voice was pure and dripping.

The angry red-head sucked in some air to go on bitching when something caught his attention. All of a sudden the wrath bled out of his features as he noticed Kadaj standing there next to Sephiroth, silently shedding tears behind the fringe of his hair. Genesis could only see a hint of the soft wetness that fell from his eyes, but it was like a dagger stabbing through his very core.

Sephiroth swallowed his own anger down as well, because he was one second short of giving Genesis a good piece of his mind; it was absolutely none of the brat's business and how DARE he forcing his way into family issues when it was anything but appreciated! Had Sephiroth called his damn mother to inform her about Genesis' injury? No, he had respected the youth's right to take care of that himself and now this imperious bastard, who had absolutely no idea how to manage a family, acted up whenever he spotted an opportunity! Actually Sephiroth was beyond furious and their fighting would have gone on for hours and hours, but the trembling boy beside him stopped the argument before it had even really started. Crouching down, Sephiroth sighed and pulled the edge of his towel to carefully brush away the tears.

"What's wrong, hm?"

"I hate it when you… when any of us, are fighting." The boy sniffled, still not looking up to meet his brother's eyes but rather examining the carpet. "I don't want you to be angry and yelling and …" His voice went quieter towards the end, his hand gripping harshly onto the edges of his shirt.

Genesis lowered his head at that, the feeling of guilt preoccupying his mind when he heard Kadaj's weak plea. He hadn't wanted the brother's to feel bad, he had only wanted to help, even though he was certain that he had no right to offer or force it.

"We are not fighting," Sephiroth tried to appease the boy and Yazoo and Loz came as well, crouching down and embracing the smallest one, offering support with their bodies as well as with their general presence. The bond between them was strong, despite their occasional quarrels. "We were just... discussing different views on the same matter, right?" The silver haired man looked up at Genesis, his gaze sternly ordering Genesis to confirm what he had said to help rectify the situation. At the same time it was a silent offer for a ceasefire.

"He's right," the red-head said, standing up and walking over to the small boy, bending down in an attempt to catch his eyes. "People sometimes have different opinions on something that they need to discuss. I'm sorry we scared you." He leaned his head to the side, offering a small smile to Kadaj, who finally raised his gaze to look at his brothers first and then at Genesis.

"I was not scared," he said defensively, a pout forming on his lips, "and discussing is something entirely different! Discussing is when you are calm and collected, but you… you acted like you hate each other…" Now there was this heart-breaking look in his green eyes again, which were not directed at Sephiroth.

The kid is far too smart, Genesis thought with a sigh.

"No, we don't hate each other," Sephiroth stretched, but his brothers instantly picked up the lie. Yazoo rolled his eyes not-so-subtly and Loz couldn't suppress a snort.

"You are going alpha male on each other like there's no tomorrow," Yazoo observed wryly, taking out a tissue and brushing away some snot from Kadaj's nose.

"Well he does have a point there…" Genesis acknowledged dryly while shrugging his shoulders. "I guess we are just not getting along with each other's antics." He sent Sephiroth a blank glance that revealed nothing about its purpose whatsoever.

"So you do hate each other…" Kadaj said, when Yazoo was finished with his nose. His tone was a bit crestfallen, not quite understanding so far why people couldn't live peacefully together.

Sephiroth remained quiet but that said far more than any words could have. "I don't understand why," Loz stammered, just as confused as Kadaj in a way. "You saved Genesis and Genesis helped us out with dealing with that... problem we had." He lifted his shoulders in a helpless gesture. "Isn't that good actually?"

Genesis definitely pitied Loz now. The boy had tried to put something into words and obviously nobody had understood them fully. His glance drifted over to Sephiroth, trying again to ignore that the man was still half-naked. He didn't want to urge the other into answering just now, but it was something he himself was wondering about, too. Not that he expected the taller man to be overly happy about everything he did, yet they were only fighting and nothing else, no matter what he actually did.

The way Loz had put it made their behavior seem silly indeed. Why was it that Genesis got under his skin so much, infuriating him when barely anything mattered? His family could drive Sephiroth crazy like that, but that was because he cared about them, because he was worried and, more often than not, their antics brought him close to a heart attack!

"Human relationships are complicated sometimes," he finally replied, hoping that no one would pry further.

It was an answer none of them would have expected and Genesis couldn't suppress a smile at it. It was so typically Sephiroth somehow and made clear that he did not know the real reason either.

"They are indeed." Genesis eventually said, straightening slightly, before putting his hands on his hips.

Kadaj – having finally recovered from his small, emotional outburst – frowned at his brother's reply, obviously unhappy with it, which he showed through a prompting look towards the silver warrior.

"What?" Sephiroth lifted a brow, daring Kadaj to ask a question and make the situation even more awkward. Fortunately Yazoo came to his rescue. Sort of.

"Kadaj," he murmured, cleaning Kadaj's nose one more time and stating with a straight face, "Adults are complicated sometimes, especially when they are attracted to each other. They tend to behave the opposite of what they are feeling because their brain capacities get blocked by hormones and there is no way you can reason with them. The only way to release them from their misery is a shot through the head."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on. Who says I'm attracted to him?" The red-head shrieked immediately, looking at Yazoo like he thought he had lost his mind somewhere around the moon. He helped the guy out with his big brother and now he was betrayed so thoroughly! Uh, now he wished he hadn't interfered at all!

"So there is no hope for them?" Kadaj asked, utterly serious, eyeing the middle brother with big, hopeful eyes before turning towards Genesis – whose face had turned red, much to his embarrassment – and then to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth had been too shocked by the blatant statement to react for a few seconds. His first impulse was to vehemently deny it of course, though he resisted the inclination because he knew it would make him look 'guilty'. His second impulse was to say something really nasty to Yazoo about his own messed up 'love' life.

He couldn't resist that.

"Look who's talking. I am sure you are speaking from your own deep experiences with hormone induced stupidity, aren't you?" It was a low blow and he regretted it instantly. Yazoo looked up at him for a long, silent moment, tilted his head and then stood. "At least I am not bitching about it and pretending to be above mundane needs for company. You are just afraid of letting anyone close and if you ask me, that is even more pitiful."

Genesis' first impulse was to get in between the two of them, since Sephiroth looked like he was going to strangle Yazoo at any moment. He couldn't quite contain a hiss at the elder's statement and Yazoo's answer. They were both right to some extent, yet he doubted that either of them would ever concede to the other's opinion.

"Are you done with accusing one another? We could be doing this like normal, civilized human beings, you know?" he said carefully.

"Oh?" Yazoo's head shot around, his icy gaze piercing Genesis' head. Kadaj started to quietly mess with his sleeves again. "Then go ahead please. Meanwhile we will go and search the cafeteria for something to eat." He took Kadaj by the hand and shared a look with Loz ,who nodded, and they escaped the room, leaving the other two alone.

Genesis' eyes were following the three of them as they left the room, the door falling into the lock rather rudely behind them, causing Genesis to twitch slightly. He didn't know what was worse...being alone in a room with a fuming Sephiroth or… well, no appropriate comparison came to his mind. Being in a room with a fuming Sephiroth… alone, was already the worst scenario he could imagine right now.

"That didn't go too well…" He said at length, bravely facing the taller man while trying to bury his discomfort.

"No, that didn't go too well," Sephiroth affirmed through gritted teeth. At least his anger wasn't directed at Genesis anymore. "I didn't raise them to be so bratty..."

"I don't think that's something you can raise them to…" He answered honestly. "He's obviously just hurt… I don't believe he means what he has said…" At least he hoped that was true. The last thing they needed now was another argument adding to their already long list.

Sephiroth went over to sit on his bed, tiredly rubbing his hands over his face. He was exhausted and this wasn't how he had intended to spend his weekend. Also, he was now feeling immensely guilty for his harsh words.

"Oh, he means what he says." All three of his brothers had their particular strengths: Loz was immensely sensitive and protective, Yazoo was quiet, but a brilliant observer and Kadaj, it turned out, had developed a strong sense of justice and a keen mind. He trusted them and as young as they were, he also believed that there was truth in their observations, whether he liked it or not. "So tell me, again: why do you hate me?"

The other thought for a moment, turning his head from left to right in a thoughtful motion. "I never said I hated you. Hate is such a strong word… I think I do not even hate my parents and they are worse than you could ever be so… Let's say I dislike you…"

He was walking on thin ice and he knew it. There was no way he was ever telling Sephiroth that he did not like him because he was jealous of all that he was, because there was this silly idea of being a hero deep inside of him, still alight and burning since his childhood years, when he had thought that rescuing the neighbor's cat was the most heroic thing ever. "You do not like me that much either, so where's the problem?"

"The problem is that I cannot afford to waste my energy on something as ... childish as this. I do not dislike you per se, you have potential and you are not a bad person. I do dislike your attitude outbursts however." The moment he said it he knew it was true, which was a bit of a success because now he knew what they had to work on so that the rest of the year could be spent in peace. A ceasefire was very much needed.

Crossing the arms in front of his chest, the red-head took a defensive stance. "I do not need to like you to be able to work with you, nor do you have to like me," he said wryly. Yet he couldn't keep the anger up for long when he heard the Second Class telling him that he at least liked him a little bit. "We should be able to get along without being best buddies, so yeah… Is this the moment where I should tell you what I do not like about you?"

"Shoot." Sephiroth decided to ignore that very 'attitude' he had just criticized as it flared up again. Maybe that just was how Genesis was. Maybe he didn't mean to be offensive, even if he was.

"I do not appreciate that you treat me like I'm an inferior and, please don't tell me that I am, because I know. But I just hate it when you are this arrogant around me, okay? I just cannot deal with it." He knew this wasn't the way they would eventually come up with a solution, but the topic was sensitive to him.

There was an impulse again, to deny that he was behaving arrogantly and Sephiroth was very tempted to act on it. The last time he had followed that impulse it hadn't gone too well, so he held back. Besides, he hadn't become Second Class so quickly just because he was stronger, faster and more disciplined. Though he was not exactly a social person, he was professional and he could take criticism and adapt to it. He was getting some unpleasant feedback here, but it was too easy to just discard it. "I see. Care to explain how I am so?" He spoke calmly. He wanted to know.

"You…" Genesis' voice died down, the wrath he had felt with it. "You want to know? For real… like as if you cared?" He asked this incredulously, eyeing his counterpart with something akin to calculation. "See, that's exactly it… right from the beginning you treated me like you'd treat some nameless grunt, ordering me around and being just yourself… I mean… I know I'm not different from them but…" Okay, this was getting nowhere, he didn't even know what he wanted to say. Damn me and my big mouth, he thought sourly.

"That is the way I treat everyone. Or so I was told." Sephiroth massaged his temple, closing his eyes for a moment. "What I want to say is that I had certain expectations that were not met, due to circumstances you know well. My anger had to be directed at someone and you were an easy target, I suppose." There was also the fact that Genesis was quite the brat at times, but mentioning that would lead nowhere. Sephiroth had mentioned the attitude problem several times and it had only proven to be counterproductive.

A sharp, short laugh filled the room; then Genesis sighed and shook his head. "I guess we both had expectations that were not quite… met, as you put it so nicely. Perhaps we started off on the wrong foot." He knew this was a lie, he would never have a good feeling about Sephiroth because he himself had issues with him.

"Perhaps," Sephiorth said non-committally. "I propose we keep it simple from now on. Don't get too involved." Which basically translated to each of them minding their own business.

"Fine with me…" The red-head answered, turning to sit down on his own bed, too.

There was a long moment of silence, where they only heard each other's even breaths, before Genesis looked up to meet Sephiroth's gaze again. "You know… perhaps you should put some clothes on…?" he suggested quietly.

Sephiroth blinked, blankly.

"...Sure."

Sometimes he really didn't get the redhead. Most of the times. He stood, walking over to his wardrobe to pull out a simple black shirt that had the ShinRa logo at the back but was so washed out that it was barely readable. It was a brand new shirt but Sephiroth had washed it till the logo was half off. As he quickly pulled it over his naked upper body, he turned his head at Genesis. "I am going to the cafeteria. Do you need anything?"

"Mind if I come along? Or would you rather… you know… be alone with them? All family stuff…" Genesis asked, being a little more at ease now that the other was fully dressed. At least it helped. He also hoped his arms would be ready to use again some time soon because it was getting on his nerves how he couldn't manage anything at all.

The redhead looked a bit lost, sitting hunched on the bed and all. That friend of his, Angeal , was away on a mission that all of their class mates had had to partake in, except for them, because Genesis was hurt and Sephiroth was his nurse. The man inwardly groaned.

"...No. You can come along." Apparently his subtle suggestion had been too subtle. Whatever. This was a good test to see if their compromise could actually work out. They went to the cafeteria in silence, their footsteps echoing through the empty hallways. The sky outside was still dark and far at the horizon thin tendrils of lightening crawled over the thick clouds. How Genesis hated this kind of weather. To his guts.

They found Loz, Yazoo and Kadaj at a plain table decorated with plates of half finished cake. When the youngest spotted them he smiled shyly. "We got cake for you too..."

Despite himself he smiled at the kid's remark, sitting down beside Loz to leave the place next to Kadaj for Sephiroth. "What did we do to deserve a cake?" he asked mockingly, accepting the piece Loz slid over to him with a thanking nod.

"Nothing. Cake does not need to be deserved." Kadaj answered, his eyes gleaming with pride.

Sephiroth sat down as well, accepting the piece of cake that Yazoo pushed towards him. He stuck his fork into it, chewing on it a moment later. "It's good," he said in approval.

"I know! I chose it!" Kadaj beamed. Sephiroth smiled, and continued eating. At least they were all by themselves here; only a bored, kitchen staff guy loitered behind the register. "So, did you make up?" Loz asked curiously, finishing his own cake.

When seeing the brothers interact, Genesis couldn't repress a smirk. It was something he had never experienced at home, since he had no siblings. The only thing that came close to this was his friendship with Angeal, yet it was something basically different at the same time.

While nibbling on his own cake, he threw a glance towards Sephiroth at the question, nodding then, still smiling. "Yeah, we did." was all he said.

"I'm glad!" Kadaj smiled a satisfied smile. They still didn't seem like the best buddies yet but at least they weren't bitching at each other anymore.

They sat together for some time, annoying the poor employee and generally talking about everything and nothing. Kadaj was totally content with the situation, grinning and obviously being happy that nobody was arguing at the moment.

When it got darker outside, the two soldiers walked the brothers to the front gates, seeing them off before turning to get back to their room. They talked a lot that evening, yet about nothing in particular. Their ceasefire seemed to work and Genesis was somehow looking forward to their next mission, hoping that his arm would heal soon. It was his last thought before falling asleep that night.

** tbc?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Before we start: Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter regarding updates of this story.**

* * *

**Blitzkrieg Chapter 9**

Hot.

It was incredibly, stickily, suffocatingly hot.

Sephiroth wiped the sweat from his forehead and killed a mosquito that greedily sucked his blood at his neck. The sun was burning mercilessly down on them and the shadows of the big green leaves wasn't helping much at all. Besides the air was too moist and too heavy, but that much they had to expect from a jungle. Sephiroth looked down at the digital map on his phone that pinpointed their location as well as their destination via GPS. Only a few more miles... Pushing aside more leaves Sephiroth cut through the bushes with his sword. He really didn't get why no one bothered maintaining the street any better when obviously it was so important. Looking back at his shoulder he saw that his partner had fallen behind and scowled a bit. "Come on now!"

He wanted to get this over with ASAP and take a nice, cold shower...

This was definitely the most senseless mission ever. Genesis felt like being in a giant sauna, just that he had all his clothes on and it was definitely not relaxing. And had he mentioned that this was just senseless?

"I can't believe it, I'm at full potential again and the first mission we get is checking up on a dumb bridge in the middle of nowhere. As if there is no one else to do this. Angeal is getting the most awesome missions… urgh…" He made a gagging noise, shaking his arms to get rid of the moisture there, but it didn't help at all. His hair was a mess and totally dull and damp.

"I hate it here." He exclaimed loudly, voicing his contempt towards Sephiroth, who walked a few meters in front of him.

"I'm not exactly loving it either," the other young man retorted wryly, killing another mosquito with the flat palm of his hand. The sounds of the wildlife around them were a distraction at least, as was the occasional glimpse at a colorful bird or reptile, though not much. Sephiroth had also spotted the one or other snake and poisonous insect and despite the horrible heat he was glad he wore his full gear. Who knew what else was hiding in this jungle...

"This is an important mission, so stop complaining," he droned, looking back onto their path again. Only two miles left, at their pace they could make it in 20 minutes...

"This is anything but important. We are checking up on a fucking bridge of all things. As if they have no helicopter to look for it or send some Turks." Genesis snapped, catching up with the silver-haired man. Whisking away the sweat in his face, he looked up at the other with a questioning expression.

"How long?" was his only question.

"20 minutes." Sephiroth wanted to say something else: he wanted to snap that if Genesis saved his breath instead of ranting they could already be on their way back. But he didn't say that because he was being social. And because he was too hot. Speaking was strenuous. "Using helicopters costs money and the Turks have other things to do. Those missions are traditionally executed by SOLDIER. You didn't think we would be fighting monsters 24/7, did you now?"

"I at least thought SOLDIERs did something more… exciting and…" He made a movement with his hand that implied that he had hoped there would be more to being a soldier than just this. Walking around, looking after things, killing a few monsters.

"Don't worry, just let's get this over with." Genesis finally said, started to head towards the bridge again, cutting down a few plants here and there. This was just so silly.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, save for their occasional panting and short stops to drink something. Eventually the jungle faded into a small clearing that was cut off by a sharp cliff. Across the abyss led a fragile looking wooden bridge that was half claimed by the jungle, as thick vines had crawled around the railings.

"That must be it," Sephiroth frowned, checking on his phone.

"This has to be ancient." Genesis stated, obviously relieved that they had finally reached their aim, even though it looked like a poor excuse for a bridge whatsoever. "This can't be right, didn't they say this bridge was essential for supplying Midgar?"

He got closer, curiously, poking the wooden bar with his foot. A sick creak was heard and then the first two bars broke, falling down into the deep cliff. Genesis didn't even hear them scattering. "They can't be serious, what is this? This bridge has never in its whole life been able to supply anything."

"And now it never will because you just destroyed a substantial logistic infrastructure to supply Midgar. If people die it is your fault." Sephiroth peered over the cliff with a lifted brow, apparently just as pissed off as Genesis was. Then he sighed. "All right, help me get the vines off, then we will report in."

"If this was a substantial bridge, I'm surprised people even live in Midgar." The red-head retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest before moving to the other side of the bridge to tear the vines off there. "You think they just tricked us? I mean… I would get that kind of joke really."

"You've never been to Midgar, half of the people there _are_ dead, " Sephiroth muttered, cutting off a thick branch of ivy that fell down into the dark cleft. This was ridiculous indeed and so he stopped, taking out his cell phone again. Strange, just a minute ago he still had had a signal, but now there was nothing. He walked a bit, but it was just the same. "Genesis, you got anything?" he asked frowning, still moving his phone in the air. This was strange indeed...

A redhead emerged from behind the thick clutter of green wildlife, the mobile in his hand, walking around to get a signal. But there was none. "Hm, no, nothing here either. But I know for sure I had one just a few minutes ago in the jungle," he said, raising his eyebrows in annoyance. "This is hilarious, how can we lack signal outside a thick forest, but have it inside? This stupid technology never works when you really need it."

"That is strange indeed..." They had met back by the bridge, staring at the object of their mission, at a loss of how to proceed. Sephiroth had the distinct feeling that something was off, very very off, and he restlessly cramped his fingers around the railing of the bridge. "I suggest we take some picture material and then go ba-" He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, eyes growing wide, his face going ashen. Then he just grabbed Genesis around the waist and and started running back towards the forest.

"Wha…?" He didn't come as far, squeaking when Sephiroth grabbed him rather roughly just to run back towards the way they had come with inhumane speed. "What's wrong?" He called, wincing when he was hit by several leaves and sticks.

Then he heard it. A deafening noise, something crashing, wood splintering and then he looked back, seeing the inferno behind them, crawling into the forest they were finally in. Flames were licking at the broken trees that had been teared into pieces by the explosion. They had both felt it to their cores, Sephiroth had stumbled shortly but was back to running now. He only slowed down when they were far enough from the flames.

"What the hell…" Genesis whispered disbelievingly, staring through the woods at where they had been just moments ago.

"Our phone signal got disrupted," Sephiroth panted, leaning his hands against his knees, "because someone set the bombs off." His hair was disheveled and dark smears stained his face. He didn't want to look behind him. "Are you injured?"

"I'm okay." The other replied automatically, staring at the flaring flames. They could have been killed right there, now, just like that. Of course Genesis had known that this job was risky, to say the least, yet he had never thought about it so thoroughly. Sighing, he closed his eyes, just now noticing how erratically his heart was beating. He tried to calm himself. They were alive, Sephiroth had rescued him, again. "How about you? Everything okay?"

"Yes." At least he wasn't injured physically. He checked his cell phone again but there was still no signal. Great, now how were they supposed to call for back up? And on top of that it would get dark soon! "We should get back for now and wait for the helicopter to pick us up." Getting back would be a pain in the ass though; without the signal they had no map either and the path they had followed up to the bridge would be inaccessible if they were unlucky. The explosion had caused quite some damage.

Genesis nodded at that, turning to look for the path they had walked when getting here, yet he didn't see anything at all. "You see any path?" He asked hopefully. The life around them looked mostly untouched and he couldn't find a hint of the damage they had done to the bushes and leaves on their way to the bridge. This was hopeless.

A short glance at his phone also confirmed that there was still no signal to be found, meaning no map, no GPS, no call for help. Great.

"No, but I have a vague idea." Luckily for him Sephiroth had attended various classes where they taught old school ways of orientation; technology was superior only when it functioned. With the path gone it was even harder getting through the thick forest and the rapidly dimming light wasn't helpful either. There was no chopper to be heard above which was strange, because someone should have come to pick them up. Most likely the signal was still distorted, resulting in messed up instruments.

Sephiroth chopped his way through the bushes, away from the still scorching flames behind them. They probably shouldn't get too far away from that; it was their only source of orientation and the fire would keep away animals. "Let's stay here for now," Sephiroth finally decided, stopping and looking around a small clearing where it wasn't as crowded as the rest of the jungle.

The other didn't reply immediately, but dropped down. With the adrenaline slowly leaving his veins, Genesis was left exhausted from the trip and the shock. Sighing he rubbed over his face, his eyes burning from the smoke and the sleepiness, yet he knew they couldn't just fall asleep like that. They had to keep watch, in case of animals getting too close and being a little too interested in them; that was the most important thing to do now.

"Should we build a fire or… do you think the explosion will keep animals away?" Genesis would definitely prefer a fire on his own because it got surprisingly cold without the sun burning down on them, and it got cold very fast.

"No fire." A fire would make them an easy target, too easy to spot. Sephiroth didn't know why but he had a bad feeling; the wheels kept turning in his mind, but he was too exhausted to make much sense of it. "You can go to sleep and I will do the first watch," he offered, sitting down on a tree trunk after making sure that there was nothing poisonous on it. The sky above them turned a dark blue and the first stars gleamed down on them.

Genesis wrinkled his nose, lying down on the soft grass that still held some of the warmth of the day. Despite the beautiful sky, he couldn't come to rest at all. He was tired, his limps felt like they'd weight ten tons but he couldn't keep his mind off the things that had happened. Additionally the air was chilly and he couldn't suppress shudders anymore.

"There was something at odds with the bridge." He said quietly with his eyes closed.

"Yes." Sephiroth leaned his head on his sword that was resting against his knee. It didn't escape him how Genesis shivered, as it was getting cold indeed, and the fire behind them had gone down to a mere flickering. "Are you cold?" he asked, shifting his weight. They would have to think of something or they would be frozen stiff till the morning.

The redhead wanted to say 'no' because his pride told him to, yet he couldn't deny that itwas cold, and that _he_ was cold. "Yeah, a bit…" He answered instead, glad that he had maintained at least some of his façade.

"It will get worse," Sephiroth muttered, frowning. They would have to deal with this, but he wasn't entirely unprepared. The best way to get warm was sharing body heat. Thus he slipped from the tree trunk and settled next to Genesis, laying an arm around him and pressing their bodies close. "Is this helping?"

It was most obviously helping Genesis' face to heat up uncomfortably. He didn't say anything though, just nodded, leaning a little into the somewhat embrace. It was definitely warmer, a little too warm because his body suddenly decided that he liked this closeness a bit too much. _Not helping at all_, he thought angrily.

Genesis' hair tickled his cheeks as the slender man moved a bit and Sephiroth stiffened. Then his arm relaxed around the lightly shivering body and his voice turned just a notch softer and lower. "There are ways to provide... more heat." It was an offer, nothing more, a suggestion.

The smaller grinned silently at that. "Are you suggesting what I think you are?" He asked slyly, turning his head to look at Sephiroth with his head on the other's chest. "You know that this could be judged as sexual harassment, right?" The grin on his face told what he was truly thinking about it.

Sephiroth was taken aback for a moment but then his lips twitched into a smirk too. "Only if the counterpart is unwilling," he replied, looking down at the redhead with a lifted brow. The warmth between them was already increasing.

"What tells you that I'm not unwilling?" Genesis fired back innocently, batting his long lashes softly, yet the leer on his plush lips gave him away. This was definitely better than shivering alone on the grassy ground like before.

"I wonder..." Sephiroth drawled, running his fingertips down the other's spine, while pressing himself closer. "Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"*

"That was low, Sephiroth, even for you." Genesis snickered, drawing his hands up the silver-haired man's waist to his chest, while pressing his loins closer. "But I'm used to it by now."

"I can do even worse," the silver haired man offered, while his nimble fingers loosened the strips of Genesis' uniform. They couldnt get out of their clothes or their bodies would be too exposed to the chilling air, but they could get more comfortable.

"Really? Try me." Genesis challenged, wriggling around a little, his hands over the straps of Sephiroth's uniform. He was silently cursing ShinRa for their extraordinarily dump and inefficient uniforms. They weren't useful at all, in a situation like this, they were even worse.

"I wouldn't want to ruin the 'mood'," the elder snorted, his hand slipping between their bodies to massage the bulge in Genesis' lap. It was getting warm all right, he could feel the heat on his cheeks and loins.

Moaning lowly, Genesis leaned his forehead against the other's chest, breathing rapidly against the uniform. "You worry about moods?" He snorted breathlessly, his fingers flexing into Sephiroth's skin slightly.

"Apparently I do. Didn't you notice?" Sephiroth repeated with fake indignation, adding more pressure. His own pelvis started to gyrate, as he opened the zipper of Genesis' pants to pull out the man's erection, his palm meeting naked, warm flesh that pulsed in his hand.

The other's breathing hitched noticeably, his hands moving to the silver-haired man's pants, too, drawing down the zipper and starting to massage his bulge. "I hadn't thought you'd think about something like that." He breathed.

"Seriously, you dare saying that to my face after all the effort it took me finding this place? I even staged a fake explosion. You hurt my feelings." Sephiroth arched into the touch, humming a bit. This felt wonderful and he could feel the stress draining from his body. Removing his hand he got them some cock to cock contact, their hard organs slapping against each other and then rubbing in a heated rhythm.

"Now you are ruining the mood." Genesis stated dryly, though the expression didn't last long because a new moan broke it. "You are a freak, you know that?" He wrapped his hand around both their erections, letting them slide smoothly along and against each other. The at first tiny ball of pleasure that had settled in the pit of his stomach tuned bigger. He did not think about today nor about tomorrow or what they would do to get back to ShinRa, it didn't matter.

"Don't pretend you don't like that," Sephiroth smirked, but then his expression melted into a slightly unguarded, relaxed one. The breaths out of their mouths came in little white clouds and it was too warm in their clothes now. Their movements began to become relentless and uncontrolled, driven by lust and the need for release.

Genesis couldn't catch enough air to answer, his breaths reduced to short pants as his waist ground against Sephiroth's in erratic movement. Their moans were swallowed by the thick leaves and branches around them, their only witness the stars and whatever lived in this forest. Genesis felt the orgasm building up steadily, his body was prickling with want and ecstasy.

Sephiroth felt his muscles tense and his brain turn to mush as his climax built rapidly and he gripped Genesis harder, their bodies crushing against each other. Hot semen spilled forth from his cock as he ground against Genesis' erection over and over again and a small hiss escaped him, before he gradually relaxed, his hips twitching still a few times more.

When the Genesis came, he felt like everything blackened out, nothing mattered anymore, only this moment counted. "Fuck", the curse left his lips without him even noticing it, his hips moving on their own accord as he savored the feeling. Genesis clawed into Sephiroth's uniform with one hand, trying to hold on without even knowing why.

Sephiroth came a few seconds later, his arm around Genesis to keep him close. The exciting, blissful tension that came with his orgasm bled from his body slowly as he relaxed back into a more comfortable position on the forest ground. This was much better; he was warm now, even a bit sleepy and his thoughts had calmed down too. So maybe he was a bit sticky with cum, but at least they were still alive...

He felt the smaller man snuggling closer to him, a content noise leaving the red-head's throat. Genesis had his eyes closed, his face satisfied and settled, as was his body. Only his hands were still clenched in the now crumbled uniform, but Genesis did not care a single bit about Sephiroth's stupid uniform. He was warm, he was pleased, and now he felt like sleeping and so he would do.

Sephiroth lay awake for a long time. Not that he wasn't tired but someone had to be on guard and besides, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts about their failed mission. Had it just been a bad case of human failure that their superiors had sent them to a location that was being blown up because it was obviously useless? It happened from time to time, information got mixed up and he would have to check immediately with Lazard about what had gone wrong. It was strange that this was the second incident now where their lives had been threatened though. The zolom had been an accident as well...

Genesis shifted restlessly at his side as if noticing that the other was brooding over something. "What is it?" He asked sleepily, trying not to fall asleep right after asking the question. He wanted to sleep, of course, yet he felt some kind of sympathy for Sephiroth having to stay awake, even though he looked as tired as Genesis felt.

"It's probably nothing, go back to sleep. I will wake you when it is your turn," Sephiroth muttered. He lay on his back, listening to the nightly sounds of the forest and trying to see through the canopy up into the sky, but the leaves were too thick. Down here it was almost pitch black, neither the moon nor the stars visible. Sephiroth hoped his brothers were all right and briefly checked his cell, but the signal was still missing.

"You wouldn't be messing your head up with nothing." Genesis observed flatly, still keeping his eyes closed and holding on to the near-sleep that was preoccupying his body, yet his senses were awake. "And I can practically feel you thinking, so spill."

"Nothing eludes you, hm?" It was only a bit wry when Sephiroth said it. "I keep thinking about the explosion. Most likely it was an accident, but there's an awful lot of accidents happening lately."

"Right." Genesis agreed slowly, thinking about the two incidents; the first one making him unable to move his arm for a few weeks, this one making them unable to get back. "But it were only two…" He said at last, finally opening his eyes, just to be greeted with pitch-black nothingness.

"Two in less than a month and two accidents in a row," Sephiroth pointed out hesitantly. "Accidents seldom happen with ShinRa," he added quietly. He knew, because he had grown up with their ugly politics; they were control freaks and the more Sephiroth thought about it the less likely it became that indeed it had only been a coincident...

Genesis remained silent, mostly because he knew nothing about ShinRa whatsoever. Accidents were likely to happen, yet if the other was sure, that with ShinRa it was rather suspicious he couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort. "So you think somebody may have… initiated that? For what purpose then?"

"I don't know," Sephiroth replied honestly. There was a sound in the shadows, but then it was gone and he relaxed again. "If it was no accidents then we will have to assume that someone is targeting us or either of us. For what purpose I am not sure. It could be a test conducted to see if I developed abilities needed to become first class. But you are endangered as well and the last mission was nothing that would tell them anything about my combat or leadership abilities..."

"I doubt that endangering anybody would keep them from testing you… if they really do." The red-head answered coldly, yet his mood was not directed against Sephiroth. "What you say sounds plausible, but I assume they are after you. Honestly, what would they want from me of all people?"

Sephiroth's gaze drifted over to Genesis. The redhead was probably right, but that was not much of a relief for Genesis, because they were involuntary team mates in this. "There is also a third option," he finally said after a pause.

Genesis raised his eyebrow for nobody in particular to see. "A third option…" He mumbled. "What do you have in mind?"

The pause dragged on, because Sephiroth contemplated whether he should tell Genesis or not. Eventually he decided that even if he was wrong more damage would be done if he didn't say anything. "Someone is trying to kill me." And Genesis was just very unlucky to get in the line of fire.

The other flinched involuntarily at that, his head jerking up to look into the darkness where he reckoned Sephiroth to be. "Okay, even though I once or twice threatened to kill you, how could anybody be so god damn stupid to even try?" He asked incredulously. His face showed the disbelief he was feeling obviously. "And what would they gain from it, except for a lot of trouble with you and ShinRa?"

"No trouble at all. I think it is ShinRa who wants me dead." Sephiroth tiredly rubbed over his eyes, wondering if he was going mad. This paranoid conspiracy theory sounded laughable to his ears, now that he was saying it out loud...

"You think _ShinRa_ is trying to get rid of you? Why you of all people?" Genesis huffed with barely suppressed humor. "That sounds absurd, Sephiroth, really… You are their golden boy, no use or profit therefore in getting rid of you."

"Maybe not for ShinRa himself. But everyone who wants to do harm to the company would profit from my death, as it would affect ShinRa's image. There are power struggles within the company, always have been." Sephiroth's voice sounded lame to him. Nonetheless he felt restless. Something was wrong, he could feel it in his guts.

"You may be right, yet you may be wrong." Genesis offered cryptically. "It does no good to worry endlessly about it, we'll see once we get back and then we'll kick somebody's sorry ass." He hoped he would be able to cheer Sephiroth up, he felt like he had to; at least try.

Indeed a thin smirk appeared on Sephiroth's lips, but most likely Genesis wouldn't be able to see it anyway. "You are right. We are going to raise a fuss when we get back." _If _they got back, but he didn't say that out loud. "You should go back to sleep now."

"You raising a fuss… I'd sell my mother to see that." The red-head teased, nestling comfortably against Sephiroth's strong chest, closing his tired, blue eyes again and letting a content sigh pass by his lips. He prayed to the goddess, that the silver-haired warrior hadn't heard it, simultaneously asking himself what he was actually doing here. His weary body decided for him, practically melting against the other and just shutting down. A sleepy mewl dropped from his lips before he finally fell asleep.

tbc?

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**AN: Dear readers. *sigh* This is chapter 9. There've been 8 chapters before that, so I assume that if you came back here to read it - you kinda enjoy it (?). Usually I am not one to nag, but this time I will, also because this story is about to die. There are almost no reviews for this story. That is no big deal, as you could think "Well, maybe no one's reading it!" WRONG! This story got 4,776 hits so far and 36 reviews. That means less than 0,7% of you bothered to comment (just for comparison: with my other stories I get a review from every tenth reader - here it isn't even every hundreth!), which is a bit devastating and I wonder why I should bother going through the trouble of editing, rereading, formating and uploading. It all takes time, which I don't exactly have, but I do it because it is fun and because I think this is a good story that I would like to share. Fanfiction is non-profit, as you well know, and the only acknowledgement, the only payment I get is comments.**

**So, if you got a comment, a suggestion, criticism or whatever, tell us please!**

Review replies:

Anonymous Bananas: Aw, no worries dear XD Yeah, I wonder how long their cease-fire will last too, they just seem made to piss each other off XD Ah, there's so much more drama in store for them~

Shadow Haloed Angel: Thank you! I was so glad to have finished my thesis! I enjoy the remnants a lot too, also it is interesting to see Sephiroth take on the rle of a 'real' big brother XD You be well too!

**Thank you!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ladies and gentlemen... meet Genesis' mother XD**

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**Blitzkrieg Chapter 10**

Sephiroth came to when a loud noise woke him out of a deep, dreamless slumber. He abruptly sat up, manically checking their surroundings, still half asleep. His right arm tingled; it must have fallen asleep as Genesis lay on it all night. The noise came from above and even before he looked up Sephiroth knew it was a chopper.

"Get up," he grunted, scrambling to his feet and grabbing his sword. The trees around them swayed in the wind the chopper produced. They had to get to a clearing so the men who had come to get them could land.

Genesis, still more asleep than fully awake, got up on wobbling legs, blinking rapidly against the black dots that flew by in front of his eyes. The noise made his head ache furiously but he ignored it. "A chopper." He heard without noticing that he was the one saying it. It was totally needless to say, too, but Sephiroth seemed to ignore it. This was no nice wake-up call.

"Yes, it will be landing nearby. Hurry." Sephiroth was already leading the way, contacting the pilot with his cell, listening to the short instruction he was given. "They will be landing by the bridge," he finally announced, flipping his phone shut.

"Then I hope for them, there are no more explosives around… oh hey, I forgot. They already detonated with us around…" Genesis replied grumpily. His back hurt, his head hurt, his side hurt and he was hungry as hell. Plus, he must look like shit. He followed Sephiroth through the thick copse, rubbing his drowsy eyes all the while. "I'm feeling sticky." He complained suddenly, his face heating up just a mere moment later when remembering yesterday's events… well, yesterday evening's events.

"Me too," Sephiroth sighed. He had been on worse missions, bivouac training was much harder with the soldiers crawling through the mud for weeks with heavy baggage. But this had been mentally disturbing as well... Plus, he was sticky with cum and a shower would be very much appreciated. They followed the sound of the chopper and the wind blowing at them, until they came to a clearing. Shielding his face with his arms from oncoming leaves and ashes he climbed the chopper, sitting down heavily. It was loud and windy and the cheeky redhead that looked over from the pilot seat, giving them a thumbs up with an annoying grin didn't brighten Sephiroth's mood. He just wanted to get home.

Genesis followed shortly after, climbing into the nosy chopper and eying the pilot suspiciously. He could at least have the decency to turn the thing off, now his hair was even more disheveled than before. The guy had vibrant red hair and inwardly Genesis joked about how unstyled it looked before he noticed that he didn't look any better. Shaking his thoughts off, he sat down gingerly, sighing heavily and being thankful that they had at least been picked up now. Another moment in this damn forest… He could do without that.

The redhead threw another look at them before starting the chopper right back up, hopefully bringing them home as soon as possible.

The trip back was quiet. Well, as quiet as a ride in a chopper could be. Reno, the pilot turk as Sephiroth remembered correctly, tried to start a conversation a few times but they impolitely ignored his comments. They didn't have any obligation to answer him. As soon as they were back Reno lit a cigarette and sardonically waved after them as Sephiroth and Genesis went to shower and change clothing. Both of them got a call to appear before Lazard immediately after they were done. Once they were in the elevator upstairs, Sephiroth said, "Let's be careful about our suspicions. It's better if you let me speak..."

The other nodded slowly. "It would not be smart to accuse someone in his position, I assume." He said at length, remaining silent until they reached the headquarter's floor. Sephiroth strode to Lazard's office, entering it while Genesis followed. The secretary eyed them warily, adjusting her glasses with her highly manicured fingers before opening her thin-lipped mouth.

"Yes?" She asked acutely, her eyes already lingering on the monitor again.

"Director Lazard summoned us. SOLDIER Second Class Sephiroth and SOLDIER Third Class Genesis Rhapsodos."

The secretary graced them with another gander, until she held a brief conversation with the Director and finally stood to lead them to the office. She closed the door after them. Sephiroth saluted, but he remained quiet otherwise, waiting for the man to speak. He kept his distance to the man, even though he was less annoying compared to the rest of ShinRa.

Lazard sat in his expensive chair, looking up from his paperwork and leaning back. He only spoke up when his secretary had left the room for sure. He made a short gesture towards the two chairs in front of him, offering them a chair before their talk would begin.

"Please, sit down." He addressed them, pausing for a moment and waiting for them to sit. "I received the information that there has been an explosion around the bridge you were responsible to check up on, is that correct?" His facial expression gave nothing away, nor did his eyes.

"That is correct sir," Sephiroth affirmed. He sat in his chair with his back straight, though his arms lay seemingly relaxed on the armrest. "Our mission was to check on a supply passage way. When we arrived however, aforementioned bridge seemed to have been out of order for quite some time already. It was nothing we could have fixed with our equipment."

Lazard nodded faintly, his face still unreadable. "That is odd. But please, go on." He said, waving for Sephiroth to carry on.

Frowning, Genesis wondered what the director was thinking right now, curious of how he would explain this situation.

Sephiroth continued mechanically, expressionlessly. "After we inspected the bridge I attempted to inform headquarters about the situation. I noticed that I had no signal, and Third Class Rhapsodos hadn't either. The only plausible explanation was a detonator for explosives disturbing the signal, so we retreated back into the woods just in time as the bomb set off. As no one came to fetch us we had to assume that a mistake had been made and spent the night in the jungle, waiting for backup."

The director hummed lowly in affirmation, gazing at Sephiroth for a long moment to make sure that he had ended before he folded his hands slowly and leaned forward. "I see." He said at last. "And you are sure that you got the right GPS and did not run into a destruction program nearby?"

"I am positive that we were at the right location, sir. Before the signal went out the map affirmed us that we had reached our destination. There was nothing else close to our perimeter that would have qualified for an alternative target." Sephiroth paused. "I suggest that just in case we confirm with the mission request to make sure that indeed this was the location we were supposed to be at." It was a careful imploring to check that something had gone wrong, very wrong. Sephiroth was not sure if Lazard got the hint. If an assassination had been staged it was unlikely that Lazard knew about it, since he would gain no profit from it, on the contrary. Still Sephiroth watched his reaction closely. ShinRa politics were unpredictable and he didn't thrust Lazard as far as he could throw him. He was part of the ShinRa family after all.

For the first time Lazard did show some reaction: he frowned. "There is no doubt that something has gone atypically wrong. I assure you that I will have Tseng supervising the investigation in this case." He stood up suddenly, walking over to the large window front and looking out in a thoughtful manner before he turned again. "I cannot risk my soldiers' lives, can I?" A light smirk settled on his lips, something one got accustomed to when dealing with Lazard for some time.

"Is there anything else you would like to add?" His gaze now settled on Genesis, fully knowing that he was the one who would not be able to restrain his mouth for too long.

Sephiroth was careful. Lazard's comment could be harmless, but it could also be a very bold and very sadistic warning. "It might be helpful to explore who gave the order for setting off that bridge," he suggested neutrally, his eyes darting briefly to Genesis. He got a nervous feeling from where the redhead had taken position.

Genesis dutifully shook his head, but other than that remained quiet. His crystal eyes were never leaving Lazard's though, silently daring him to give one misplaced comment. How he longed to accuse this man, wipe that sardonic smile from his face, but he refrained.

The director eyed the red-head warily in return before turning towards Sephiroth again. "I assure you that we will investigate in this case." He repeated, his tone and stance obviously showing that this conversation was over. "You both may now return to your quarters and draw up your report."

"Sir." Sephiroth gave a perfect salute and then turned to leave the office. From out of the corner of his eye he could see Genesis following him. Only when they were back in the elevator did he allow himself to relax a bit, his shoulders slumping. "You did well," he praised, pushing the button to their floor.

After the door had closed, Lazard sat down in his chair again, laying his hands on top of the amounts of paperwork he still had to do yet this was a more pressing issue. Shaking his head, he reached for the phone to call Tseng; this had to have top priority.

"Well, thank you I guess." Genesis answered, following Sephiroth, even though he felt like a puppy following its master. "He didn't look like he knew anything about it." He added thoughtfully, watching the numbers fall as the elevator went down to their desired floor.

"I wonder." Sephiroth stared out the window pensively, the wheels in his head turning. "I will have to call my brothers first, see if they are all right. You should call someone too. Go out for a bit, distract yourself. We barely survived."

The other chuckled dryly. "Do you have to remind me?" He crooked his eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of his chest, yet there was a playful caste over his features. "I could for once keep my promise and call my parents." He did not mention that he had not done so when Sephiroth had … asked him to do so for the first time. "And then I'll grab Angeal." Genesis grinned at that. He had not been able to spend time with his friend for a few days and he started to miss it already.

"That sounds like a good plan." Sephiroth managed a weak grin himself, as the elevator stopped and he walked out and down the hallway to their room. When Genesis was away it would also leave him with some privacy to take care of some personal stuff. Like updating his will.

The smaller eyed him for a moment, opening his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but remained silent and just followed him.

Inside their room, he instantly flopped down on his bed, fishing for his neglected backpack to retrieve his phone. He checked his signal just because. Of course, now when it came to the things he did not want to do, he did have a strong signal. This world was simply not fair. While dialing his parents' number he tried to forget that he had almost asked Sephiroth – whom he was supposed to hate with all he had – whether he was alright. He did not care for him, at all.

As Genesis was busy with his own stuff, Sephiroth typed in a text message. His brothers would be at school right now, so he had to call them later but he just wanted to make sure that they were fine and wanted to tell them that he was okay too. Flipping his phone shut he placed it onto his desk and sat down, taking out a few sheets of paper and a pencil. This report would not be a digital one. When missions went wrong there would be only one handwritten report and it would be handed in personally. There could be no risks of data leaking out to the public.

The red-head did not have time to wonder what Sephiroth was doing because right at that moment someone answered the phone, someone he could not directly identify. He politely asked for the obviously new butler to call for his mother and again there was silence. Sighing he played with a few of his auburn strands that had grown too long for his liking. He would have to have them cut again.

"Yes, please?" The thin, slightly snobbish voice that belonged to his dearly loved mother reached his ears, forcefully dragging him out of his musings.

"Mother…" He answered coolly. "It's Genesis."

"Genesis... who is that?" she said pointedly, her voice a bit bitter. "Oh wait, it couldn't be my son? It has been so long since he last called that I had forgotten how his voice sounded." She ended on an almost whining note, being heartbroken and disappointed, wanting to make him feel bad and guilty about not calling earlier.

"I am relieved that you haven't changed over the ages I haven't called… you are still exaggerating." Genesis sighed and even though his heart hurt an ounce, he had learned how to repress it. "I apologize for not calling earlier, but it has been… quiet an eventful time." And there he was, underestimating like hell.

"Is that so. Well, if your life in the city is so eventful then of course you cannot be bothered to call your mother," she replied in a casual tone as if they were talking about the weather. "What did you do?" She only asked to see if he could come up with a good reason for not calling rather than really being interested in what he was doing.

"Mum, please…" The auburn sighed exasperatedly. This was already heading in a direction he did not like. "My arm was injured during a mission and I assume you can imagine that this brings along a lot of different difficulties. But otherwise I'm fine, thank you for caring." His tone was sarcastic, having spend most of his life with his mother, he knew what she was really aiming at. And again he longed for a normal mother.

"I see," she said. "Well, I am not surprised. I told you you are not strong and robust enough to be in the army. It's a wonder you are still alive. You really should come back and take over the farm some day, like we discussed it."

"I will not have this discussion with you again." Genesis replied heatedly, having completely forgotten that Sephiroth was still in a room with him, most likely able to hear every word spoken. "And even though it might not interest you _some_ people seem to see that _this_ is where I belong. Not being a filthy-rich, pampered and to-be-married back in nowhere."

"Oh really, and who would that be?" The voice of his mother had become a bit high-pitched with stress. "Some of your new boarish soldier friends? I am sure you fit right in there."

"If you consider your mighty Sephiroth a 'new boarish soldier friend' of mine, then yes, some of them." His voice was merely a low growl. He had known this would happen, it always did and now here he was. His good mood erased like it had never been there.

Sephiroth unconsciously perked up at this. He had been trying to concentrate on his report but inevitably he had to listen to their conversation, or rather Genesis' parts. They spoke volumes enough though.

On the phone Genesis' mother paused, before she spoke up again, her voice cruelly sweet now. "Oh really, you made friends with him? Is he around? I want to talk to him. To thank him for taking care of my son." Clearly she didn't believe Genesis but wanted to test him.

"Excuse me?" He asked incredulously, sitting up almost instantly. Genesis knew his mother did not believe him – hell, a few months ago he wouldn't have believed himself – yet he could not believe that she really wanted to talk to Sephiroth now. He threw a glance over to where the silver-haired man was sitting and met his glance.

"You heard me. Put him on the phone. It is only natural that a mother would like to thank the man who takes care of her clumsy, ungrateful son."

Genesis gritted his teeth harshly, throwing his cellphone over to Sephiroth. "My sorry excuse for a mother would like to talk to you." He said, venom dripping from his tongue when he said those words. Now Sephiroth was already stealing his family, how much more could he take?

Sephiroth was surprised, to say the least. He caught the cell phone on instinct, looking at it awkwardly before carefully putting it against his ear. He wondered what was going on. "Yes?"

A moment of silence followed at the other end of the line, when Mrs. Rhadpsodos contemplated whether her son had really spoken the truth or was tricking him now. "Odile Rhapsodos." She politely introduced herself. "Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to? My rude son seemed to have passed me on just like that."

"This is Sephiroth Jenova. Good day Mrs. Rhapsodos. How can I be of your service?" He threw Genesis a 'what am I supposed to do here?' glance, feeling at a loss.

The other wasn't of much help, he just crossed his arms again, generally sulking and being angry.

"Oh my, forgive my rudeness then." She piped up immediately. This man sounded just like the real Sephiroth and Genesis' mother somehow sensed that her son – for once – had not lied to her. "I wanted to thank you for rescuing my son so heroically. I always told him not to join the army, it will be the death of him and he's my only child." She sighed heart-brokenly, yet inside she was congratulating herself for finding such a smooth way out.

"Not at all," Sephiroth replied, feeling awkward. He could have turned on his professional charm, but he had a suspicion that Genesis was being angry at him already though he hadn't even done anything. Thus he tried to wriggle his way out, by saying "Your son is a great SOLDIER, he will climb ranks in no time."

This got Genesis' attention again. He looked up and at Sephiroth with something akin to disbelief and yet a thin trace of relief.

"You think so?" Mrs. Rhapsodos sounded awfully surprised, too surprised to only be a caring mother. "Then… well…" She laughed helplessly, obviously at loss of what to reply to that. "Would you just take care of him for me? I wouldn't want him to get hurt."

"He can take care of himself just fine, but if it makes you feel better I will have an eye on him as well," Sephiroth replied politely. He hadn't spoken to her for longer than a minute and he disliked her already. It was irrational, but her voice and the way she talked were just so... hypocritical. Mean and insensitive, even though she did good to pretend otherwise.

"I thank you very much." She replied sweetly, browsing briefly through the mails the postman had just brought in. "Would you send Genesis my love? I have some important business to attend to. Good bye, Mr. Jenova. I wish you a nice and pleasant day." Her voice dripped of honey and sugar before she hung up just like that.

"Did she finally hang up?" Genesis asked just a few moments later.

Sephiroth took the cell from his ear, staring at it blankly before he returned it back to Genesis. "She did," he said, not knowing what to think of the whole thing. That woman gave him the creeps. "Your mother seems... very..." he struggled for a word that wasn't impolite because he couldn't bring himself to lie. "...unique," he finally managed with a forced smile.

The other snorted disdainfully. "Oh come on. She's a bitch of a woman and even worse as a mother. Unique is not really the fitting word to describe her." He replied, turning to the side to fully face Sephiroth. "It is not only me who has that impression, right?" He asked, somewhat shyly, yet frowning all the while.

Sephiroth was torn between reprimanding Genesis for talking like that about his mother and agreeing. Of course he had only exchanged a few words with her so he didn't really know her. "I suppose you know her better than I do," was the answer he came up with, but his look of sympathy spoke volumes.

Genesis smiled knowingly. "Thank you." He said quietly, finally getting up. "And… thank you for earlier. You could have like… said anything you wanted, yet you backed me up." It was so hard to find the right words for how grateful he was. Sephiroth had done nothing special, but what he had done was something special to him. "I guess I'll go and see if I can find Angeal now and you can… talk to your brothers peacefully."

"They are not home yet. I will write my report. And there is no need to thank me, I was merely stating facts," Sephiroth replied clinically. After all, he was not really a social person. "You should have your report ready by tonight too. Write it by hand on paper, no copies, no digital data. This is standard procedure for reports of this kind. And be careful. Just in case."

The auburn haired man merely waved it off. "Don't worry, I won't be away for too long and Lazard will get his desired report, nice and tidy." He smiled again before turning towards the door. "See you later, Sephiroth." He called over his shoulder before he finally left.

END CHAPTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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**Review replies** (Mary replying/ _BMIK replying_)

fantasi88

Awww, thanks for the comment :) I'm glad you like the story so far! But by mentioning it you show that you kinda expect it ;) It's a tricky situation for us, too :D Stay tuned! I hope you'll like the outcome!

_Ah, we will see about who Shinra is after XD If they are after someone at all – could all be a coincidence or misunderstanding too! I'm happy that you like the story, it is a lot of fun to write it with Mary! Thank you for reviewing^^_

hayakatsu

I don't think it has something to do with forcing the readers to review. But it's kinda depressing to see how many people "click" the story and how many really do review. BMIK and I, we are writing the story because we feel like it and because we like each other's style and like writing with each other, not because we want to fetch some reviews or fame or whatever. But uploading it and showing it to people only makes sense when those people actually say something about it too. D: Otherwise we could just delete the story and finish it for ourselves as the RPG it was intended to be. So imo this appeal to the readers was only for their own good :D

Oh I know the feeling you get :D I have it too everytime I re-read this story (yes I do that a lot :D Hot smex when none is around :P), but I know why we dragged on a little at the start. Thing is, we didn't know each other before and BMIK didn't know my style at all, apart from the one story I uploaded here. So the start was kind of a warm-up for us both, fitting both unique styles together, that's why it drags and jolting a little here and there :D

Anyway, I think I speak for both of us when I say, that we are thankful for your comment, especially because you took your time and explained why you normally don't comment and so on :D Thanks a lot!

_Hm, I don't like asking for it either :( But as it is, I have a very busy life. I have to make time to edit, correct and upload chapters, and sometimes I just forget. Fanfiction is (sadly) not the center of my life. Reviews keep reminding me that there is a story to update. And also, I think that it is a bit of a sign of appreciation to review chapters. It makes me happy to receive reviews and that is why I like to give feedback too. And it is also a great way of meeting new people, which is probably the most important part XD I enjoy talking to people who like the same things I do and discuss them, debate on them!_

_Ah, yes XD As Mary said, we had to get to know each other. And in general, I think I feel that I have to set a mood, to make the rest of the development plausible and whatnot, but I will keep an eye on it and make it not too long XD Thanks for the criticism!_

Liriel

A NEW READER 3 Want some Cookies? :D Oh I like how eager you sound :)) I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter as much as you seem to have the others :D Thanks for the review! Always refreshing to read this :D

_Aw, thank you! We have written a few chapters ahead, and all your questions will be answered eventually (I hope XD)! I'm very happy that you like it so far and thanks for reviewing!_

Lenko

Thankies :D We always seem to end up with making a little fun of them both. Who can take those lovelies too seriously anyways? :D

_Yay, happy you like it! Long time no see, you doing okay? I think Seph and Gen make a wonderful pairing because they are so different (though at the same time similar, even though the dun wanna admit it), and it really is a lot of fun! XD Thanks for the comment, dear!_

hypnoticaa

Oh I'm glad you liked the action scene :D I wasn't so sure whether my parts in it were good or not (BMIK doesn't have to be insecure about that because they are awesome! :D). Oh, complain about short to her! Not my fault mwahha :D

Thing is, as I already said, that we are – against all imagination – insecure. We are both only hobby writers and we do need the confirmation that the stuff we write is indeed okay because we got noone else to read through it really. We are not fishing for comments here, personally I hate comments like "good chapter, end", but nevertheless this is feedback and you know you did a good job. But when there is no comment at all, you start doubting yourself. It's really a tricky situation then.

Thanks for the comment :) I like that you also said something critical :D Always welcome too!

_Yay, happy you liked the chapter! Action scenes are tricky, so I am extra relieved you found it okay (especially since in the games there really is a lot of action...). Hm, as to your other comment: As Mary said we write this for ourselves. And it takes time to edit, upload etc. and it is time I have to make. So if I am under the impression that people don't find it worth commenting (which for me is a simple sign of appreciation, whether it be criticism or praise) then I use that time for something else ;) In the end we upload this for you, the readers. It's a simple matter of give and take.^^_

Stephiroth

Oh dear, don't think of yourself as stalkers :D We are writing kinky storys about innocent heroes of video games, if someone was forced to feel embarrassed it would be us xDDD

Uh, I love edgy Sephy too :D But he cannot stay like that all the time :( Otherwise this story would NEVER end xD

Thankies for the comment :D!

_Hahaha, really? I never thought about it like this, interesting! XD But there really is no need to be embarrassed, whether you have an account or not we just love to talk to you people (which is why we are doing the review replies in the first place XD). Hehehe, I think (hope) that Sephiroth hasn't lost his edge! You'll have to decide that, of course, but maybe I can hint on that there will be a shitload of drama coming up XDD Thank you for taking the time to comment, I think it's awesome! :)_

**Next Chapter: Genesis makes new friends - or does he?**

**As always feedback is very much appreciated ^^  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**HAPPY BELATED INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!**

**I bring new chapter so you have something to read during the weekend^^ I'll try to update regularly now, every once or two weeks, so you don't have to wait so long^^**

**This week Genesis and Angeal are out to party!**

**Enjoy please!**

**Mary: Genesis**

**BMIK: Angeal, Brad and the boys**

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**Chapter 11**

Angeal greeted his friend in the hallway, as he had just been on his way to go to his room anyway. "There you are," he smiled. "I am going out with a few guys, care to join?" He hoped that this way they could get to know each other and some animosities could be taken care of. The tension was palpable, even though Genesis didn't really notice. But there was a lot of talking and even some hostile comments. Angeal wanted to avoid an ugly fight.

Genesis raised his eyebrow at his friend. "You have a really nice timing, I was just on my way to ask you anyway." He said, stretching his body with his arms over his head, hearing a few bones in his back crack a little. "Sure, let's go. Where to?" He added, smiling while brushing through his auburn hair. This was the perfect opportunity to forget about some problems with Sephiroth and bury some inappropriate thoughts about him deeply in his mind.

"There's a bar down the street, all SOLDIERs go there, or so I have heard." Of course the rookies needed to explore that territory too. Angeal was a bit surprised that Genesis went with him so willingly. "How was your mission?" he asked, as he guided the both of them back to the entrance and then down the barracks.

The other nodded solemnly and followed his friend to the elevator downstairs. "Don't ask. It was horrible." He announced with a sigh. "We went through that damn forest for most of the day and then arrived at that wannabe-bridge just to notice that it was already totally rotten. And then the whole thing blew up out of nowhere and well… yeah. And now I have to write a damn report about it, hand-written." That was the most annoying thing to Genesis. They had already told Lazard everything there was to tell and now he had to write some stupid report, too.

"But let's forget about it." He announced when the elevator touched the ground floor. "I wanna drink and talk and have fun tonight."

Angeal made a worried face, but since Genesis seemed to be all right and didn't want to talk about it he left it at that. His own mission had been successful but simple, so there was nothing exciting to tell about. The light was dimming already, the sky colored in dark blue hues with the rims on the horizon glistening in gentle orange tones. It was getting a bit chilly too. In front of them the bar came closer and laughter and voices could be heard. A few SOLDIERs passed them, apparently on their way back and they greeted them, respectfully. When they entered hot sweaty air hit their faces and the volume increased significantly. The bar was stuffed with people, but someone called Angeal's name from a corner, waving at them too. "Let's go over there. And try to be civil, okay?" Angeal gave him a slightly reprimanding look. Genesis wasn't exactly a peoples' person.

The auburn haired man pulled a face when his friend turned around to make his way through the crowd of people. Perhaps going out had not been his smartest idea. The smoke from various cigarettes filled his lungs and made them itch, as well as his eyes, the voices were loud and pounded into his head like a hammer. He would simply make the best of it.

Following Angeal over to the corner, he eyed the people around them suspiciously. He recognized a few faces here and there, probably from lessons or training he had had with them, but most of them he had never seen before. The brief thought flashed through his mind that he might go out and be social more often but he dismissed it. He had enough to do with being social towards Sephiroth, that was more than sufficient.

"You're late!" One of the guys laughed as they approached the table, quickly making place on the bench. There were five or six of them sitting around, talking, laughing and drinking. "Brad's getting drinks," another, blond haired boy told them as he looked up, stubbing out his cigarette. When his eyes fell on Genesis his smile faded. It seemed that the atmosphere in general grew a few degrees colder all of a sudden. "Oh. You brought your friend."

"Yes Tom, this is Genesis," Angeal introduced, outwardly unfazed. The blond threw Genesis a side long glance, but then he finally offered his hand to the redhead. The others watched cautiously, but they made place for Genesis to sit as well.

For a very tiny moment the red-head eyed the offered hand as if it was something extremely contagious and deadly before he nevertheless accepted and shook it without applying too much force. "Genesis." He said unnecessarily, to introduce himself even though he did not have to.

Waiting for Angeal to sit down, he glanced at the other young men sitting around the round table. He again noticed a few of them as class mates, yet not all, so he assumed Angeal must either know them from somewhere else or they were friends' friends. He gingerly sat down next to his friend, feeling a little too much out of place for his own liking.

Angeal took it upon himself to introduce Genesis to the rest of the group. "The others are Phillip, Jo, Kevin, Matthew and Hugh." The lot of them nodded in greeting when their names were called, eyeing Genesis with a mixture of coolness and curiosity. Another guy came towards their table, setting down a tray with beer. He was pretty, with deep brown eyes and hair of the same color. "This is Brad," Angeal informed his friend with a whisper. "He is..." struggling for words, Angeal paused, then starting anew. "He admires Sephiroth very much." It sounded a bit cautious and Angeal hoped that Genesis got the hint to not make a careless comment that could cause a fight.

The other nodded slightly. He knew he had to be careful what to say to whom, especially in company of people he did not know, yet. He had risked half of his health and well-being with rescuing Sephiroth, back when they had been fighting the Zolom. He had done so deliberately and he guessed that he would do so again, even when knowing what it would lead to, but anyways. It was risky to say the wrong things when being in the SOLDIER program. And he would avoid it, if possible.

"Hey." He waved at the newly come guy – Brad, he reminded himself – with a small smile. He had to at least appreciate the looks of Angeal's choice of friends, he had definitely picked the ones, one would consider handsome.

Brad didn't reply but looked at Genesis coolly, sitting down and grabbing a beer. "Have some," Tom offered, putting two big glasses with the foamy liquid in front of them and rolling his eyes at Brad. "Is that your first time being here?" he then asked Genesis.

Genesis immediately tried to drown the annoying jumpiness with a gulp of beer. It tasted as bad as he remembered it from Banora, perhaps a little better, but still somewhat disgusting. He was more the wine kind of guy.

"Yeah, quite so." He said, looking around to distract himself. "He" and here he pointed towards Angeal "did not feel the need to ask me before." A smirk played over his lips, a sign that he had re-discovered the cocky side of himself.

"Well, we came here only a few times. Besides, you were always busy," Angeal defended himself, but good-naturedly so.

"You come from the same town?" One of the young men, Phillip, asked, reaching for a beer and getting a protesting cuss from one of his friends as he splashed some of it onto their hands and arms. He ignored it tough, and really no one wanted to pick a fight with him, because he was incredibly tall and strong, his head shaven and his eyes sharp. His voice boomed when he talked.

"I was busy doing what? Being bored out of my mind?" Genesis retorted, loosening up a little. He was no longer holding on to his glass like his life depended on it. But this Phillip-guy was intimidating, to say the least. He held the second place on Genesis' 'most intimidating people' list just now. Right after Sephiroth when he was really pissed of.

"Yes, from Banora. Some backwater town in the middle of nowhere, but we have the best wine." He smirked. "At least something to keep you occupied when being a teen, lots of alcohol." He slanted a side-long glance at Angeal, remembering the day they both had had one or two – or five – Banora Whites too much, laying in the green grass and giggling at the darkening sky.

Phillip grunted. " I hear ya." He took a big gulp from his beer as if it was nothing.

"Yeah, if it hadn't been for our whiskey, I'd have died from boredom," Kevin sighed, pulling out a cigarette, and offering it to the lot. It seemed that the ice had been broken. There was something everyone of them could relate to and that created sympathy, something Angeal was very happy about. He started to relax.

"There weren't even any chicks in my town," Matthew, a mousy, thin boy whined in mock misery.

"As if you'd gotten one if there had been chicks," Jo snorted and Tom laughed. Matthew didn't seem offended, on the contrary. He lifted his glass, smirked and drank. The only who kept giving Genesis a cold shoulder was Brad.

And Genesis was not anti-social enough to not notice it. A small part of his mind urged him to include Brad into their talk, but he did not know how – or rather doubted that this was a good idea. Brad seemed to be angry with him, for a reason he could only guess. And if it was the true reason, Genesis was better off with leaving Brad alone.

"The girls in Banora were rather boys than girls." The auburn haired man mused while tipping his chin.

"Yeah, and the boys were girls," Tom grinned, giving Genesis a meaningful look but it wasn't meant to be mean. It was a fact that Genesis was flashy and beautiful.

"Damn man, now I got a too vivid image in my head of Angeal wearing pigtails and a pink dress!" Someone shouted, snorting into their beer and wiping their mouth. Angeal himself smirked, giving them a mysterious 'If only you knew' - look and taking a sip from his beer as well. Every now and again his eyes flickered over to Brad as well. He was an okay guy, pretty popular actually because he was funny and witty, but he also could get pretty mean when he was pissed off. At least he wasn't openly hostile.

Genesis grinned right back at Tom, shaking his hair a little. "Someone's got to have the looks right? Angeal wasn't too popular as a girl, he just does not have the physique for it." He petted Angeal's shoulder in what would have been an apologetic manner if it had not been for the wide grin on his lips.

Sighing he took another gulp of his beer, giggling into it every now and then, while the others talked about Angeal in various girly dresses and even maiden ones. Oh, these mental images, they were equally hilarious and disturbing.

"Is that why you are so good at being a bitch?" The laughter died down and all eyes flickered to Brad, who calmly took a sip from his beer and watched Genesis with steely, challenging eyes. Phillip hmpfed and looked annoyed though he didn't say anything. He had a secret crush on Brad, so the only guy who could have ended this discussion before it even started was handicapped. Tom and the others looked at Genesis curiously to see what he would answer.

As fast as the laughter had ceased, Genesis' smirk had too. "I don't know why you would think that." He said coolly, yet in the same daring manner that Brad had presented. If this guy wanted a verbal war, he would get it, and Genesis would not back down. His honor – oh he sounded like Angeal – was at stake here and his ego, too. If this Sephiroth's-ass-kissing guy wanted to argue with him, he could have that.

Angeal's jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything to interrupt them. Genesis would have been offended if he did, because he didn't want to be protected and pampered. If it came to the worst Angeal would interject, of course, but for now he held back.

"I wonder... let me see. Maybe I am inclined to think so because you are behaving like one?" Brad replied, leaning back. He was confident in his opinion too and Genesis was new, he didn't know the others.

The redhead was relieved that Angeal let him be for now, yet he knew it was only as long as he … behaved. At least a little.

"And which one of my antics that you are obviously so well informed about makes you draw that conclusion?" He asked coldly, his eyes never leaving Brad's, while taking his glass and taking another gulp.

"Maybe it's your shameless brown nosing, ass kissing and spreading lies," Brad retorted. Inwardly he was fuming. Had the guy no shame? Sitting there as if he hadn't done a goddamn thing when he was spouting lies about saving Sephiroth!

"Well excuse my stupidity but I thought bitches were only able to spread their legs, not lies." Genesis answered, but the aggression was bubbling up inside of him. It was all about the silver-haired general again and he knew what had happened in reality. But he could not tell or he would have some Turks hot on his heels and out to kill him. And not even Sephiroth would be able to save him now, if he wanted.

"Who is to say you didn't try that? But I am sure Sephiroth has enough class to not dirty his hands with scum like you."

Genesis couldn't quite contain the grin that was blooming on his lips, but he did not directly reply to that. "So you are … opposing me because you think I harmed Sephiroth's … reputation?"

"I am opposing you because I think you are a dirty, lying scumbag that has nothing else to do but badmouth hard working, honorable people," Brad answered through gritted teeth. "You are just making a laughing stock out of yourself, no one believes the crap you are spreading but it is annoying and I won't have anyone dirtying the SOLDIER's name." The others started to get a bit uneasy, because their bantering had started to sound like serious threads now. Of course they would take Brad's side, but more so out of duty but because they shared his beliefs. Genesis seemed like an okay guy and he was friends with Angeal, who was very honorable and serious about such things...

Genesis' face betrayed nothing of the rage he was really feeling. How dare this little, worthless piece of shit address him like this? But he was sure that starting a fight with this guy now would do no good, it was eventually what they all had in mind. If Genesis lost his temper now, he would do nothing but encourage this guy's low opinion of him. Not that he really minded.

"And what exactly, if I might ask so, did I do to … badmouth anyone? And what crap am I exactly spreading? I haven't seen myself walking around and talking shit about others I do not know like some people at this table." He replied bitterly, his eyes burning icy daggers into Brad's, while his fingernails dug into the hard wood of the table, his hands itching for making bloody contact with that guy's face.

"Oh, let me think about that..." Brad pretended to think hard, but when he spoke again his voice was dead-pan and utterly unamused. "How about you spreading lies that you saved Sephiroth from a Zolom on your first mission when in fact he saved you because you were incompetent and useless? You even got him injured and then you have the guts to boast about it!"

Angeal shifted in his seat. He thought it was time to leave now; this was getting dangerous. Naturally he had gotten his call from ShinRa too and these matters were not to be talked about. "I think we should go now," he said calmly, getting up. "This is going nowhere and you are both being childish."

The redhead snorted, getting up rather violently before getting his thoughts together for one more moment. "It was a nice evening." He said to the rest of them because they had been really friendly to him, even though he had seen the unmistakably questioning gazes they had thrown his way. "I'm sorry it ended like this."

He turned with a small wave and left without waiting for Angeal. He had not wanted to spoil his friend's evening so he could as well stay and have some fun with his other SOLDIER friends. He did not need them, none of them.

Still fuming he came to halt just outside the pub, taking a deep breath of the cool night and shaking his head.

Angeal came out a few minutes later, as he had to say good night to everyone and tell Brad to keep a low profile because he was being unfair. Brad had just snorted, but not said anything. He respected Angeal and he feared him a bit too, because Angeal had proven to be extraordinarily strong during training. The night air outside was chilling, and the street lamps had been turned on.

"Don't think too much on it," Angeal said as he started to walk beside his friend. "They are actually nice people. I don't know what has gotten into Brad tonight."

The other kept quiet about it, just buried his hand inside of his tight trousers pockets, staring at the pavement they now walked back to the high ShinRa building that was looming, omnipresent, above the city. "They were quite nice, I have to admit that." He said after a moment.

He had been painfully reminded of just why he was being anti-social since coming here. In Banora he hadn't had too many friends as well. Being the mayor's son and therefore awfully spoiled most of the other kids in town did not want to deal with him – perhaps also because of his antics, but it was easier to blame it on his parents. Angeal had been the only one – what a surprise. He had always tried to convince himself that he did not need others to be happy and successful, that he did not care what they thought about him, but deep down he knew, that he cared… at least a little.

"It's unfair to know the truth about what happened and not being allowed to say it." He finally said into the silence that had settled over them. He used a quiet voice, not knowing if this was already too much information. Just in case somebody eavesdropped on them.

"Everyone who gets to know you a bit will know that you are not a person to make up such things," Angeal replied gently, voice lowered. "Those are just rumors and I am sure after they got to know you today the majority of the guys don't believe them anyway. Brad is a bit hotheaded at times." And he had a big fan boy crush on Sephiroth, but that Angeal kept to himself.

"It's nice to hear that, but you know that it's not true. He's just saying what others keep to themselves. I'm quite sure the rest of them believe in those so called rumors, fiercely." The red-head waved dismissively and shrugged his shoulders. "Brad has every right to do so. He's just thinking what ShinRa wants him to think. It's not his fault."

A heavy hand landed on Genesis' shoulder, attempting to comfort him. Angeal had nothing else to say, because they both knew the truth. They were not allowed to share it, so they had to deal with the consequences ShinRa had forced upon them. Walking through the gate of their premises they went for the barracks. "Did you call your parents yet?" Angeal finally asked. It wasn't a pleasant topic either but he had to make sure Genesis had taken care of that.

Genesis shot a thankful glance over his shoulder before Angeal squeezed him for a short moment and then let go. Groaning he recalled the nasty conversation he had had with his mother. "Yeah I did." He said simply, for the last time enjoying the frigid wind on his skin and how it cooled his raging temper. "And my beloved mother did not spare me the shame to have her talk to Sephiroth just because she did not believe me when I said I was sharing rooms with him and that he … actually thought I was a good soldier." He raised his gaze to look at the darkened sky but because of the faintly green clouds no stars could be seen. A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over him, but it vanished as fast as it had come.

"She wanted me to come home and take the responsibility of my heritage. You know, the farm and all."

Angeal sighed. "She won't stop trying that even after you became the greatest hero of all times." A small, bitter sweet smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Do you want to go somewhere else? Just the two of us?" he finally asked, just for good measure. Instinctively he felt that Genesis had enough of going somewhere, but he thought that he should ask anyway.

"She will keep nagging me even when she is pushing the daisies." The auburn waved exasperatedly before he smirked. "If you possibly mean running away with me from ShinRa to escape my freaky mother, I would love to, it would be very romantic, but since I doubt that it would neither make a difference, since she would find us even at Icicle Inn, nor that you meant that… No, thank you. I'll just go back to my room and read or… whatever, annoy Sephiroth a little." He winked at Angeal with those words, nudging him a little.

Angeal was a bit startled, but then he smiled back. It seemed as if Genesis had gotten a lot easier around his room mate. "Good night then," he said, parting and heading down the barracks, since his room was at the opposite direction.

Staring after his friend for a while, Genesis stayed outside. Sighing he looked up, wondering if this was really worth all the trouble. Was being a hero really what he wanted? Or was it just to show his parents that he was capable of doing something on his own and being successful? But then he could as well have chosen to become a real estate broker or a shop keeper or something equally as unperilous. Sighing he came to the conclusion that it did not matter anymore. He could not go back to his home town – no he would not give this satisfaction to his parents, he'd rather die in battle or being strangled by Sephiroth – and he also disliked the idea of quitting the SOLDIER program and doing something else.

The fine hairs on his neck suddenly raised and he couldn't identify whether it was from the cold or something else.

From the shadows a few dark figures watched the lonely, pensive Genesis sitting on a bench between trees and bushes, staring up at the sky. The dim glow of the end of a cigarette flared up briefly before it was crushed under a boot.

"Let's go," a fierce voice said grimly and the four shadows slipped over to where Genesis was sitting. It was a fortunate incident that the redhead had chosen such a secluded area; no one would hear him scream.

The redhead noticed them as soon as they determinedly closed in on him. Out of the corner of his eye he tried to make out how many of them they were – and what they wanted, but they looked like normal SOLDIERs. He couldn't make out one of them because of the darkness, yet his stomach did a strange flip that reminded him of anxiety. He kept quiet in a feeble attempt to make them lose interest in him or something, his body fraught to act when needed. He hadn't done the sheer endless hours of training and lessons for nothing.

The leaders of the shadows that had effectively surrounded Genesis finally spoke, his voice cold and cruel, dripping with self-righteousness. "Now look what we have there. Our little hero, abandoned and all by himself. But he doesn't have to fear anything, his super powers will get him out of any predicament." The other shadows laughed, mockingly, coldly, a bit hysterical. They were high on adrenaline.

Genesis eyed them warily, still ignorant to who they might be, but their purpose was clear. He kept quiet, holding eye contact with the speaking figure, daring, challenging him to do anything that would enable to red-head to do something in return. He could not stand up to all of them, but he could at least make one of them regret this action. "So?" He asked lowly, slowly standing up. A sitting position did not seem to be a smart idea in this case.

Finally the leader stepped out from the shadows and pulled his hood back, revealing his face to Genesis. He felt confident and he didn't need to hide. The others behind him seemed a bit restless, because the plan had been to stay anonymous, but they were too far into it already and besides Brad's words had stirred the anger inside them again.

"You need to be punished. You need to be shown what happens when you walk around badmouthing people. We won't tolerate your actions any longer and we will avenge Sephiroth's noble name that has been dirtied by assholes like you." The others came closer, nodding fiercely. One of them held a thick, pointy branch he had picked up from the ground and that seemed to be heavy.

Tbc?

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**Review replies (Mary/**_**BMIK**_**)**

fantasi88

Thanks for the comment :D I'm glad you like the way we portrayed Gen's mom. I think she is often described as cold and heartless for the fact that people view her as that. Every story I read with her being something close to a good mother felt somewhat wrong and false. I don't know why. I didn't even play the game xD

_Haha, Genesis' mom coming to headquarters would have ended in a bloodbath, I think XD She's a bit... difficult ;) Glad you liked it!_

tsukiko94

Thanks for your comment :)) Haha, yeah all those things would totally fit Hojo ;) But it will be a surprise who it really is in the end! Ah, yeah. The good old problem. You dislike somebody for their attitude but they are just too hot to deny them sex, haha xDDDD

_Hm... I wonder :D But I think we'll find out eventually! Hehehe, some couples just love to hate each other, but maybe they can overcome some of their differences^^_

Shadow Haloed Angel

Thanks a lot for the two comments ^^ Really? You like this one more? Wow, now that's an ego boost, haha xD Thanks

Aw, I know the problem, hon. I at univercity most of the time too and barely find the time to get anything done. Fortunately I got holidays at the moment. Way better! xD

Thanks! We really tried to make that forest look really creepy and ugly, something you really really really not want to stay in over night :) I'm glad you liked it! Oh, why would anybody NOT get along with Gen's lovely mother? ;) Don't worry, it's long enough to like it anyways ;))

_No worries love, we didn't update a while, so there was not much to miss XD I hear you, with so much to do there sadly is so little time to read all the awesome stories here! I am terribly behind too, but hope it'll get better soon. Hahaha, you're so right, ShinRa and conspiracy theories... even the craziest theory you might have is not crazy enough to meet reality! They are just nuts -_- Thank you for your lovely reviews!_

__**Next chapter: Will Genesis be able to avoid a fight? (*cough*Yeah right... we all know Genesis and his calm, pacifistic attitude *cough*)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello everyone! We hope you had a nice Easter? Sorry for the delay of this chapter, my best rl-friend died and I had to take some time off.**

**But here it is now, betaed by the wonderful and uber patient danslalune, enjoy!**

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Chapter 12

"What are you supposed to be? The official Sephiroth fan club? This is low even for you, Brad." Genesis retorted, his muscles tensing as he tried to take in what weapons they carried. Most of them (seemed to count only on their sheer physical strength), which was good because Genesis was a hundred percent sure that he could not compete with swords or the like, no matter how agile or fast he was. (He was also sure as hell that they did not want to murder him, not even they would dare to do that, but beating him into a bloody pulp was certainly an option. He winced inwardly at the thought of again going to hospital. He'd already spent way too much time there. "Would you think about the shit you are talking about for only a minute?"

Brad clenched his teeth, because yes, he was a member of the official fan club. But that didn't matter. "Shut your damn trap, you have spouted enough shit already." He gave a firm nod into the direction of the others and they came closer, circling Genesis. The guy with the stick let it fall against his palm again and again. "We'll teach you a lesson that will make you think twice about what you say in the future," Brad whispered menacingly as the others moved in and began to attack.

Genesis managed to dodge most of the blows for he was a full head smaller than most of the guys in the mob. They were bulky, making them slow and easy to elude, but they were also many and that alone prevented the redhead from escaping. He took a hit to the face with something that tasted like wood , the smell and taste of it lingering on his lips. One guy managed to land a punch to his chest, forcing the air out of his lungs for several seconds before he could finally draw a ragged breath again.

"So…" he said slightly wheezing, trying to blink away the tears of agony from his eyes without shedding them. Oh he would not give them this gratification. "What's your plan, smart ass? Beating the living shit out of me and then? You really think I won't go running to Lazard to badmouth you?"

One of the shadows seized his chance and knocked Genesis off his feet. Swiftly another lunged forward to punch him in the stomach. A third guy straddled Genesis' chest, holding him down on the muddy ground. "No one will believe a lying scumbag like you. Besides, we all have alibis. We were together all night, playing cards." Brad stared at Genesis' face from above. It was starting to swell slowly. He gave another nod and one of the guys kicked Genesis in the side, while the one atop of the redhead clasped a hand over Genesis' mouth and pulled at his hair violently.

On impulse the auburn haired man bit the hand that covered his mouth as hard as possible, mostly just to channel the pain that was induced on him in some other way than crying and growling. His arms were rendered immobile by the weight that was nearly crushing his ribcage, his hip screamed in pain from the assault on it, as did his stomach and his head. These guys were nuts, completely nuts! But what Brad had said held some truth. Nobody would believe him if they backed each other up, as he knew they would. This thought pained him nearly as much as the guy who was continuously kicking his side.

Meanwhile, Sephiroth lay on his bed, re-reading his report. He had called his brothers successfully and confirmed that they were doing fine. Next week he would file in for a vacation, he needed to be home again and get some much needed rest... His eyes drifted to his watch and his brows furrowed. Genesis was awfully late and they had class early tomorrow. He didn't want to appear like a mother hen though, so he dismissed it. Genesis surely wouldn't appreciate Sephiroth's concerns anyway.

A few hundred meters outside, Brad had crouched down, grasping a strand of crimson hair and pulling Genesis' head up. "What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" He shook the youth's head. It had to hurt. "You can end this. I will let you off the hook. Just tell the truth."

Genesis coughed slightly, his lungs filling only slowly with much needed air, thanks to the guy sitting on his chest and nearly breaking him in two. "Tell the truth about what?" He asked sharply, though he couldn't contain a faint whimper. His whole body was ablaze with the fire of hurt, his veins rushing with adrenaline that remained pent up. He could do nothing, he was completely at their mercy.

At the dorms, a firm knock caught Sephiroth's attention.

"Hey, Gen?" A deep voice said, as the door was opened to revealAngeal, obviously freshly showered from the towel that hung over his shoulders. "Oh hello, Sephiroth." He greeted the other soldier with a small but honest smile. His gaze drifted to the empty bed that belonged to Genesis. "Did Genesis leave again?"

"He left a few hours ago," Sephiroth said, putting his report aside. The alarmed look in Angeal's eyes fueled his own worries.

"A few hours…?" Angeal querried. "That was when we went out together but I mean afterwards. Did he come back here? He told me that he was coming here when we parted." A frown settled on his angular features while he considered all possible options. "He would not lie to me, he did not have any reason." He stated firmly, looking at Sephiroth with a determined gaze.

Outside, Brad gritted his teeth. "Tell us the truth about that mission, what else. Tell us what really happened; that Sephiroth saved your sorry ass even though I don't have any idea why he would bother. You are so beneath his level."

"It's confidential." Genesis spat out. Inwardly he was eager to tell them exactly what had happened, even though he knew he was neither allowed to, nor would they believe a single word he said anyway. But the feeling of superiority would still flood his body, he knew that. "And for a damn good reason too." He couldn't restrain himself from adding it.

"Confidential my ass!" one of the guys spat, kicking Genesis in the side.

"You are lying again," Brad stated, shaking his head in resignation. Then he crashed Genesis' head down into the ground and lifted him up again. "Now let's try that again. Apologize."

Still in their room Sephiroth got up, the worry now evident in his face. He reached for his jacket. "He has not come back since then. We should go search for him. Did you try his cell?" It was best to appear calm; Angeal may not know about the incident with the bridge and Sephiroth's suspicion of a failed assassination. What if Genesis had been targeted again?

Angeal shook his head, grabbing his cell and dialing Genesis' number. He had just wanted to drop by to spend at least the rest of the evening with him, since he had the feeling that he should not leave him alone – with Sephiroth – now. He knew that Genesis most likely would tell him off, smiling and pretending everything was alright, but he was able to see through this façade. The mobile dialed and rang, but nobody picked up.

Meanwhile the said auburn haired man groaned lowly, his head swimming from the unpleasant date with the unforgiving, stony ground. He felt the soft trickle of warm liquid in the harmed area, probably blood. It was no severe injury, of that he was sure.

"Apologize for what? For telling the truth? It is confidential." Genesis persisted weakly, the power to struggle against them slowly leaving his body as his adrenaline wore thin.

Brad's little torture session was interrupted by the shrill ringing of a cell phone. The name on it showed 'Angeal' as he fetched it from the redhead's pocket. He cursed silently under his breath. This wasn't good, if Angeal was searching for Genesis they didn't have much time left. But they were almost done anyway. Quickly he typed in a message. 'Busy. Leave me alone.' Then he crushed the phone with his boot, telling the others to not worry and keep going. "Now where were we? We can keep going like this all night, you know..." he threatened. In all truth this was making him sick and he wished for it to be over rather sooner than later. But Brad was set on getting that confession...

Now what little hope the red-head had felt a moment ago was crushed like the phone under Brad's boot. A small voice told him not to worry, because someone was already looking for him, trying to reach him, and that if Angeal, or even Sephiroth, just stepped out of the door they would notice him immediately. "There is nothing to tell, it's confidential and the Turks will be hot on your heels if I speak even one word about it." He breathed out, his vision blurring in and out of focus as he tried to blink it away. He could not feel his sides or his hip anymore, his ribcage had numbed to a point where he no longer knew if someone still sat on him or not.

On the other end of the phone, Angeal frowned at the message he had just received, again trying to call Genesis with increasing worry, but this time a voice told him that the other was currently not available. This was totally unlike his life-long friend and now he really felt worried. "There's something up, let's search for him."

"I will go back to the entrance and you will search the other side of the barracks." Within a second Sephiroth had conducted the most efficient search plan. He didn't wait for Angeal to respond but went directly down the hallway.

"You don't get it, do you? I don't want to hear that crap anymore. Just say that you are sorry and it will be over." Brad shook Genesis' head a little to keep him from fainting. It had become critical and the others had started to get unnerved, kicking and beating the downed man as Brad felt his control over them slipping.

"Just say it," he hissed.

The barely conscious man did not respond anymore, flexing his fingers he tried to make out if he still had them. His attention was drawn to everything and nothing, his head pounding as the blood in his veins did. "You won't hear anything from me, little prick." He whispered, a smirk plastered onto his lips. He couldn't help it, the situation was so alien, so unreal, that he didn't even think about which answer would be helpful and which not. He was thinking nothing at all really.

One of the guys sneered and drew his leg back to get a really nasty kick into Genesis' conceited face, but he didn't get to it, because an all too familiar, deep voice boomed through the night.

"What's going on here?"

"Shit!" the shadows panicked and quickly made a run for it. Brad got up, shocked and terrified, frozen to the spot for a moment, uncertain if he should stay or leave, a moment later he had bolted.

Sephiroth came through the bushes and saw them running away. He would have followed if Genesis, lying on the ground bleeding, hadn't been a more acute problem. Kneeling beside him he gently lifted the young man up. "Are you all right? What happened?"

The redhead coughed roughly when finally he felt his chest again and desperately needed air reached his lungs. Moaning lowly afterwards he pressed his fingers flatly against his stomach and side, not yet able to comprehend that he had just been rescued by Sephiroth – of all people. "W-what?" He mumbled, blinking slowly to recover his vision and finally notice the silver-haired man leaning over him. He had never been happier to see him.

"Don't speak." It looked worse now than it had first seemed, but Sephiroth summoned a healing materia that he had taken with him as a precaution. If it was applied quickly it would undo most of the damage, hopefully. The small shiny ball easily slid into Genesis' body where it cast a gentle, warm light and then the external and internal wounds healed.

The feeling of skin knitting together, bones recovering and wounds healing was a strange one and Genesis knew he would never get used to it. It didn't exactly hurt, but it itched and tingled and felt overall just annoyingly unnatural. He was thankful for the materia though, it spared him another visit to the hospital.

"Thank you." He breathed out, relieved that he could take in and let out air without his lungs hurting like someone had stabbed them.

"Can you sit up?" Sephiroth was relieved that the materia had worked. He hesitated to help Genesis up because he was half expecting to be shoved away. "What happened?" he asked again, his eyes drifting back into the direction where the men had run after he had confronted them. They were amateurs, bullies, that much was clear. Had it been a serious assassination attempt Genesis would be dead by now.

The redhead just solemnly nodded, gingerly getting to his feet. His body did not hurt but he couldn't know what the materia had healed and what was still injured. When he finally stood he cautiously shifted, moving his limbs to check up on what was intact and what needed special care. Eventually he came to the conclusion that no… nothing needed a doctor or a hospital.

"Your freaking fanclub was after me because of the incident with the Zolom. I didn't know they could be so resentful." He answered, following Sephiroth's gaze that led into only utter darkness.

"What fanclub," Sephiroth asked blankly. He had absolutely no clue what was going on, but he was glad to see that Genesis was back to his old self. It could only mean that he must be fine.

"You know, people who worship you, idolize you and as of late try to defend the honor they think I've befouled. One of them was a friend of Angeal's that we met tonight… He made it clear that he did not exactly like me... for whatever silly reason there might be in his head." Genesis answered evenly, his face and eyes not betraying the raging heart in his chest, the anxiety in his veins and the racing of his thoughts.

"Tell me his name. I will take care of it. I had no idea that such ridiculous things were going on." Sephiroth clenched his jaw, trying to remain calm. This was what they were getting from stylizing Sephiroth's persona into an uber idol! He didn't want any of it and he certainly needed no one to defend his honor. Were those kids crazy? "Who were the others?"

Genesis waved a hand dismissively ."I told them so too, but that one guy said they had each others backs."He said and flashed Sephiroth a serious gaze. "Let's just drop it okay? Nothing happened and I would appreciate it if we could just leave it at that. I do not want to give them even more reason to hate me, they already seem to do enough." He started walking back towards the barracks, leaving the silver-haired man standing where he was.

Sephiroth watched after the redhead. His hands were balled into pale, bloodless fists. He was furious beyond reason. His whole form shook with anger and he was NOT going to let it slide. Genesis was not cooperative but Sephiroth wouldn't need him to find out who it had been and then the goddess help them.

On the way back to their room, Genesis accidentally ran into Angeal, who immediately fussed over him like a mother hen, pestering him as to why he hadn't answered his phone and what the silly text message was supposed to have meant. The auburn haired man absently recalled Brad typing something before smashing his phone and he now somehow managed to calm his over-protective friend, telling him that he really had been busy and unable to answer at that exact moment. He was not fond of the idea of telling Angeal that one of his new friends had beaten the living daylights out of him – him, Genesis, of all people; this was embarrassing to say the least.

Sephiroth entered the room an hour later, after making a detour to the training rooms to vent off some ire. Exhausted, he fell onto the bed, wordlessly. His muscles ached but he felt pleasantly numb, in body and mind. Besides, he had worked out a solution.

The other was sitting on his bed, looking up just briefly before returning to the papers that lay in front of him, probably his report. When he had finally been released by Angeal, he had gone back to the bathroom, searching his face for any bruises or cuts from the assault. He saw nothing there, just a faintly blueish glow on the side of his forehead. Compared to how he must have looked before Sephiroth had applied the materia, he could live with it. It annoyed him to no end that he hadn't been able to take down even one of Brad's gang. He was a SOLDIER for the goddess' sake, he was supposed to be strong and able to endure pain. But instead of that he had nearly fainted like a bloody amateur.

Shaking off the unpleasant memory, Genesis focused on the task at hand – his almost finished report – and then he would go to sleep and forget this whole incident.

The next day they started class with a training session. Sephiroth leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, watching the ongoing fights listlessly. He'd had his fight with the teacher already, for demonstration purposes. This was no challenge for him, he was above their level so he did not participate in the practice. He had his own training plans. A short break was called in and the sweating students grabbed their towels and water bottles. Before the lot of them could attack Sephiroth with questions and requests for personal advice the silver haired man pushed himself off the wall and walked over to Angeal. "Do you have a minute?"

The other raised his eyebrow at Sephiroth for a brief moment, then finished his water and sighed. He was sweaty, but relaxed from training, but what could the silver-haired man possibly want? Angeal did not hold a grudge against him, but normally Genesis was the one Sephiroth… well, kind of socialized with, not he.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" He asked with a tiny smile, all the while trying to get his sore shoulders to relax.

Aware of the curious looks they got from the other students, Sephiroth casually walked Angeal out of the hall for some privacy. "It is about a friend of yours," he said noncommittally, his smile disguising his actual feelings. "I heard that amongst them there is someone who is trying especially hard, citing me as his role model. Since I want to encourage hard work, I would like to meet him and help him improve his swordsmanship. We've got to identify all promising new SOLDIER material."

Angeal's disbelief rose even further at that. "Is that so?" He asked, noting that the dangerous glint in Sephiroth's cat-like eyes betrayed his voice, but he chose to let it go. "You might probably mean Brad then." He said, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and eyeing the other warily. He was not sure whether Genesis might have mentioned a word or two about yesterday's incident at the pub, yet he could not think of any other possible reason why Sephiroth might have come up with this topic now. "He's also Third Class and is living in the barracks opposite from ours. I do not know his room number, but he's most likely having his theory class right now."

"I see. Do you know his last name by chance? Brad is a common name," Sephiroth queried casually.

Angeal thought for a moment at that , trying to recall Brad's last name because he had introduced himself with it the first time they had met. "It was something with M… Miller I think, yeah I'm quite sure."

"Thanks." Sephiroth managed another cool smile. "I don't want to steal any more of your time." He turned and walked down the hallway. There was going to be a one hour lunch break in which the students had time to prepare their afternoon classes. Sephiroth got to a public computer and easily accessed the files of all new Third Class SOLDIERs, finding Brad's room number and some useless information about his background. It didn't matter to Sephiroth where he came from, if he had family, what he was doing. The only important thing he needed to know was what the brat had done last night and he was going to find out. Raising his hand he knocked against the boy's door, hearing obnoxiously cheerful voices from inside.

Inside, it got quiet immediately. Brad looked over to where Mike, a rather bulky little boy with short black hair, was laying on his bed, asking him quietly if he was expecting a visitor. Mike just shrugged, turning back to the book he was reading for his next class.

"It's open." Brad called loudly, curious as to who was visiting them now. Greg, Michael and the rest of the fanclub wouldn't be dropping by for an hour or so.

Following the invitation, Sephiroth opened the door, schooling his expression into a calm, friendly one. He didn't want to scare the boy. Yet.

The first thing he became aware of when he entered was a giant poster of himself plastered to the wall, making him inwardly groan and twist. "Brad Miller?" he asked, looking between the two boys. Both of them stared at him with huge, wide eyes that seemed as if they would pop out of their sockets any minute.

Gaping at the figure in the door frame, Brad couldn't comprehend that the man, that Sephiroth, had just called his name, addressing him, a nameless Third Class, not even worth his attention.

He hurriedly got up from his bed, gathering his last pieces of courage. "Yes, sir!" He saluted, feeling absolutely proud of it.

"May I have a minute with you?" he asked, but the guy's saluting was getting on his nerves. "Relax," he ordered. His eyes scanned the youth. He was beautiful, his eyes clear and straight forward. Not something Sephiroth had expected, but he wasn't fooled by outward appearance.

"Sure, sure." The boy answered with gleaming eyes, beaming with happiness and eagerness. He threw Mike a fast glance, to shoo him out of the room quickly and the black-haired boy complied just as hurriedly.

Meanwhile, Sephiroth had time to inspect more of the room. It was tidy and clean, as was expected of a SOLDIER. There was more merchandise of him. Sephiroth spotted a coffee mug, several buttons, news paper magazines... this was crazy. He'd never thought anyone would really buy that crap or give a damn about all the boasting ShinRa did with his name and face, but apparently he had been wrong.

After closing the door, Brad tried to catch his rapidly beating heart, catch a breath as well. But it was hard with his idol, his secret crush just mere meters away from him. He turned finally, looking up at Sephiroth with timid eyes, not daring to speak to him before he was spoken to.

"So, you are Brad Miller, I assume?" Sephiroth casually sat down on the chair beside the desk, crossing his legs. The boy seemed nervous as hell. "I have heard a lot about you. Your grades are impressive."

Brad could barely contain a gasp at that. Sephiroth was here because he wanted to praise him? To congratulate him? Perhaps to even offer him something. He knew that he was good at what he was doing, but this good? Today must be his lucky day, even though he had almost shitted his pants yesterday when Sephiroth caught them beating up that little red-haired pile of scum. He had feared that his idol had seen them – and would probably be disapproving of their actions because he was an honorable man. And even if he wanted Genesis to pay for his lies, Sephiroth would not do anything. But Brad was there to do it for him.

"T-thank you, sir." He stuttered, flustered.

"Have a seat," Sephiroth offered graciously with a small smile. "Tell me a bit about yourself."

"Y-yes, thank you." Brad said, sitting down. He briefly thought about what he could tell Sephiroth, what would possibly interest the man. He talked about how he had come here and also his past, pointing out that he had only come here because of his idol – Sephiroth - and telling him that he really liked it here.

"That is good, we need young men with ambition like you. And I can see that you are made of leader material. Isn't that so?" Sephiroth tilted his head, his smile becoming secretive and knowing, waiting for Brad to take the bait.

"I am." Brad told him excitedly. "You know, there is this … club with people who feel the same about SOLDIER and… how to become a good one... and I launched it." He practically beamed at his counterpart, having disguised their little fanclub as something less fanboyish.

"Really?" Sephiroth made a surprised, but pleased face. "What kinds of activities do you do?"

"Well, we…" And the boy now had to be creative here because they mostly talked about what had happened to Sephiroth recently, dreaming about being like him and being with him for a while. "We train together to get better in the program and we help each other with the theory classes and during missions of course. We mostly get paired, so it's quite handy to know the people you are working with. And we help each other with… general stuff, like reports and such." He ranted, pausing continuously to make something new up.

"That sounds very good," Sephiroth praised, nodding with feigned interest. He didn't believe a word, as it was obvious that Brad was lying. It only fueled Sephiroth's suspicions. He sighed. "I wished all the recruits were as serious and professional about their training as you are. Sadly there are always black sheep too."

That was when Brad could no longer contain his curiosity. "Is something wrong, sir? Something I can help you with perhaps? Not that I assume you need my help… but still." He asked carefully, his eyes gleaming at the mere thought of helping the Great Sephiroth.

"Well..." Sephiroth paused, scrutinizing Brad again, before his attitude turned serious. "What I am about to say now is confidential. Can I trust you to keep it to yourself?"

The other nodded frantically, putting on an earnest expression. "I swear I will not tell anybody, sir."

"I am experiencing an unpleasant situation with a certain someone at the moment. That person is spreading... rumors of no foundation. Under normal circumstances I would ignore it but it seems that he managed to impress quite a few people who believe his statements."

Brad sat up straight at that, a flash of anger in his eyes. "Could you possibly mean that worthless, red-headed prick? The one that is sharing a room with you? I heard the rumors that he was spreading before he had to take them back, because even Director Lazard did not believe them. Did anything else happen with him?"

"I see we understand each other," Sephiroth said slowly, instead of directly confirming Brad's statement. "He is an annoyance. Someone was kind enough to... remind him of his place but I am afraid it was not... vehement enough. In any case, I am searching for someone competent in skills of persuasion that would, well ... convince him to leave me alone. I thought you might be someone who would know who I could contact."

The other grunted at the mention of Genesis' crimes, then he smirked. He had known that Sephiroth would appreciate their actions. "How did you come to me, if I may ask, sir?" He asked finally. "I'm definitely honored to receive this trust… and what should I do?"

"I will be straight with you," Sephiroth said, taking a chance. He could not be 100% sure that Brad had been the culprit of last night, but his instincts told him the boy was the one he was looking for. "You strike me as a man of action. I can see it in your eyes; you are no one to sit back when injustice is done. Am I right or not?" He narrowed his eyes, lifting his chin a bit.

Brad nodded seriously at that. "I am. I cannot stand people who go around and dirty other people's hard work because of their selfishness and their jealousy. They need to be shown their place." He agreed keenly. "And I…" He was so eager to tell him. "I was the one who put Genesis in his place last night, with some friends, of course. He wouldn't take the shit back he was talking about you, saying it was confidential or something." He let out a tsking sound at that. "As if… he was only lying. Unfortunately … you dropped by…" He laughed ashamedly at that. "We panicked because we thought we might be in trouble but now I'm happy to hear you think the same about this as we do."

It was only due to Sephiroth's iron will that he didn't crash the smug smile of the brat into the next wall. Instead he smiled thinly. "I am happy too. But please, tell me who your friends are so I can thank them properly too. Then we can work out a plan together to take care of this matter, once and for all." To encourage Brad he laid a hand on the young man's shoulder, capturing his gaze with his intense green eyes.

Brad nearly fainted at that. His idol was touching him, praising him, even speaking to him. Internally he was hyperventilating by now. He eagerly gave him their names, adding a few details about the incident as well, while he was almost bursting with pride.

Sephiroth noticed with disgust the boy's glistening eyes and feverish color. It wouldn't have surprised him if there was something solid poking between his legs. If he hadn't known about the incident with Genesis he may have considered a one-night-stand. But now he was just repulsed. "All right, I will get back to you. Keep a low profile for now, we wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention." He stood, taking his hand from Brad's shoulder.

He nodded frantically again, beaming up at his idol with awe. He would call his sister immediately and tell her about it. She'd be so jealous. "Thank you, sir. This is a great honor for me!" He followed Sephiroth to the door and waited until he was out of hearing range before he started squealing like a dying hamster.

Sephiroth's next stop was Lazard's office. The Director had agreed to meet him since Sephiroth had emphasized that it was important. He sat in the man's office, stating his case with the usual precision. "I think you are agreeing with me that the matter should be taken care of. We cannot tolerate such childish bickering amongst the lower classes, it will fester and disturb the working atmosphere."

Lazard adjusted his glasses, his gaze boring into Sephiroth's. "I know you would not approach me with redundant issues, so I do agree with you. Measures have to be taken against trouble spots like this. We cannot have SOLDIERs beating each other when what we want to teach them is cohesion and team spirit." He agreed icily. "We should summon both parties and hear what they have to say."

Sephiroth nodded and waited for Lazard to give the orders. One by one they came into the office, being offered a chair. Brad looked confused when he entered but Sephiroth gave him only a cool look, waiting for Genesis to arrive.

Sighing, said red-head was on his way to Lazard's office, again. He was spending too much time there, just as at the hospital. He wondered what the Director would want from him, perhaps something about their failed mission. Arriving at his office, he announced himself at the secretary's desk, but she just waved him in without looking up or acknowledging him in any way. He raised an eyebrow at that but shrugged it off and entered Lazard's office, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw not only Lazard, but also Sephiroth and Brad – of all people. Suddenly he knew what this was about.

"Have a seat please. You are the last one to complete this meeting," Lazard beckoned, adjusting his glasses and gesturing towards an empty chair beside Sephiroth. Then he folded his hands on his desk. "Do you have any idea why you are here?" He wanted to give them a chance to explain themselves before any accusations were made. Brad threw an unsure look at Sephiroth, feeling the bottom of his stomach drop, but he didn't dare speak..

Reluctantly the redhead sat down next to the man who had caused all this trouble. Count on Sephiroth to run to Lazard after you tell him to 'Forget about it'. He was giving him headaches of the worst kind.

"I have no idea." He replied smoothly, crossing his arms and his legs in a defensive stance, not deigning to throw Brad even one gaze.

"Is that so," Lazard said tentatively, his eyes drifting over to the other boys. Half of them looked guilty, the others petulant. One of them had crossed his arms over his chest defensively, hiding his knuckles that were sore from the beating last night. "Well then, allow me to fill you in. It has come to my attention that there was an incident last night. The five of you," he looked at the group of young men over the rim of his glasses, "apparently ganged up against Mr. Rhapsodos here."

Genesis shot Sephiroth an angry look, before turning his attention back to his superior, eyeing him with indifference. He did not reply. He did not feel the courage to lie to the man but he did not want to confirm his story, even though it was quite true.

He felt Brad, who sat about a meter away from him, gasp and shift uneasily, and saw him throwing confused glances over to where Sephiroth was sitting.

"Well?" Lazard laid his fingertips against each other, getting impatient. He didn't have all day and right now he felt more like a principal lecturing impudent students than the director of a deadly army.

"What proof do you have?" One of the bratty guys finally demanded to know. Brad held his breath.

"Me," Sephiroth said simply, looking straight at the runt. "I saw you."

The boy shifted, averting his eyes and staring at his feet. He couldn't talk back to his idol, could he now? "Well, it was dark, maybe you confused us with someone else. We all have alibis, we were playing cards in Brad's room," another one of them tried uncertainly, hoping that sticking to their original plan might work.

"Mr Rhapsodos?" Lazard asked.

Nibbling at his bottom lip, Genesis kept quiet at first, but he could not hold his tongue in front of Lazard forever. "It wasn't as bad as you make it sound." He finally said, his voice cool and leveled. He had not wanted to talk this over again, but he didn't see a way out now. Lying to the Director was not an option, but he could at least save some of his dignity by talking it down. "It's not like I have any severe injuries or bruises…"

"Yeah," one of the boys added eagerly. "It wasn't serious, just a practical joke we were playing on him. He's fine. No hard feelings." His eyes darted over to Sephiroth and he licked his lips.

"There are no injuries because of the materia I gave him," Sephiroth retorted gravely, making the youth flinch and shut up. "And had I not come you would have continued."

Again, Genesis flashed him a look that definitely said something like 'Get lost', before turning back to Lazard. "Yeah, well, he's right and I'm so grateful that he rescued me when I was in danger, yada, yada, are we done now?" He hissed coldly, the pressing feeling of indignity rising in the pitt of his stomach. Sephiroth had what he wanted, he had successfully exposed Genesis in front of the Director again, great.

"No, we are not. I want to know why you attacked your class mate. What reason could you possibly have to justify such impious actions?" Lazard's hard gaze bore into their heads and finally one of them crumbled.

"It was all Brad's idea! He said that we had to teach the guy a lesson, because he was spreading lies about Sephiroth! He claimed that he had saved Sephiroth and all, and we wanted him to apologize and admit that he had lied! Brad made us do it, he said we had to kick him and scare him!"

"You wanted it just as much as I did, it was not utterly my fault." Brad barked angrily, completely shell-shocked that they would be backstabbing him so soon. He knew they were not as strong willed as he wanted them to be, but that they would pull this treasonous act on him was unbelievable. "We only wanted to pay this guy back for spreading lies, that was all. We would have stopped if he had just admitted it."

"I said about a hundred times that the information you wanted was confidential." Genesis retorted deadpan and snorted.

"Gentlemen!" Lazard interrupted their bickering sharply. He was getting a headache. "I think we can agree on the fact that you five attacked Rhapsodos for unsubstantiated and petty reasons. It is not up to you to 'punish' anyone, I do not want to see a mob of crazy brats lynching one of their fellow SOLDIERs because of ridiculous fanboyism! I am the only one who punishes anyone," he boomed, his voice getting louder and scarier with every word as he slowly rose from his chair, towering above them. "This time I will leave the punishing to SOLDIER Second Class Sephiroth, seeing as he is the one this is all about essentially. He will make an example as he sees fit to avoid further incidents of similar nature."

"Great." Genesis breathed out, hoping silently that Lazard hadn't heard it even though he didn't give a damn at the moment. He simply ignored Sephiroth, not wanting to have anything to do with whatever punishment he would dole out to them. His foot started to twitch impatiently.

"But…" Brad started, but was silenced immediately by the look the Director was giving him, sinking deeper into his chair in a futile attempt to disappear.

"You will be dismissed from the program. Go pack your stuff and never appear before me or any SOLDIER, you are a disgrace." Sephiroth's words were hard and clipped and they petrified the boys.

They had expected a lot, but this... this was unbearable. "But... but we did it for you!" one of them whispered tonelessly, utterly crestfallen and close to tears.

Sephiroth was not impressed. "Don't you dare suggest that this was in any way associated with my wishes," he growled, eyes blazing. "You are scum, of the worst kind and you do not deserve to remain here a second longer. Get out of my sight."

Genesis was shocked. He had thought that perhaps some extra training or whatever would give them something to do beside meeting and talking about their idol, but throwing them out of the program was just… too harsh.

"Don't you think that this is a little over the top, Sephiroth?" Genesis asked, eyebrows raised in a questioning manner. "It's not as if they tried to kill President ShinRa or anything like that.

Brad blinked rapidly. This was so surreal. Sephiroth wanted to get rid of them, smashing their dreams into tiny little pieces, and Genesis – the red haired prick of all people – was coming to their rescue. Something was seriously wrong here.

"I don't think so. SOLDIER does not need fanatics who can't tell right from wrong. But since you seem to be so wise why don't you deal with your own bullies. Go ahead, I will accept your decision," Sephiroth said coldly. Five pairs of frightened eyes shifted towards Genesis.

The auburn haired youth shook his head at that, disbelieving that Sephiroth was really that… ignorant to the problem. "Don't you think they learned their lesson with this already? And if they do something like this again, they can go to hell or where ever. Drown them in paper work or extra training, I don't care, but don't crash their hopes of becoming a SOLDIER just because you can't stand being idolized." Genesis sighed. He did not want to impose any harsh work on them personally, he couldn't care less, but having them kicked out would do no good. Angeal had told him that Brad was indeed promising. Good with the weapons he was given, good in hand to hand combat and smart when it came to tactics. Throwing him out because of a silly act of puberty would be a waste of talent, and even Genesis saw that.

"Paper work and extra training it is then," Lazard interjected. He was not pleased to see Genesis aggressively challenging Sephiroth's authority like that. The point had been made and whatever discussion they had to have would not be in front of either him or the bullies. "You are all dismissed. I do not want to have to deal with anything like this again, do you understand? If something like this ever occurs again you will be dismissed, permanently. Now leave. I will let you know about the specifics of your tasks through your superiors."

Brad and his friends left first, eager to get out and thank whatever goddess that they were still a part of SOLDIER. Genesis did not wait for the silver-haired man, as he was still furious with him for bringing the issue up – and then even in front of Lazarad. He saluted and then left as well, wanting to just hide in his bed for the rest of the day. It couldn't possibly get any worse. Well it could, since his side had been hurting all day long, most likely because of the training and it was annoying the living shit out of him.

Sephiroth left the Director's office after they had exchanged a few more formal words. Then he left, pushing the button of the elevator with more force than would have been necessary. He didn't want to go back to his room because Genesis would be there and he didn't want to see him right now. Sephiroth was still very angry. Technically he still had classes, so he went there, sitting in a room full of rookies and not listening to the things the teacher recited, because Sephiroth knew them inside out anyways.

Genesis, on the other hand, did not have classes anymore that day and he was glad for it. Flopping down on his bed and ignoring the persisting sting in his side, he cuddled into the soft cushion.

This was ridiculous. No one – not even Sephiroth – had the permission to show him up like this in front of the Director, when he had pointed out that he should just forget about it. The boys needed someone to bring them back to their senses, but when he had heard Sephiroth speak those words – those ominous little words ... a chill had shot through his whole body and reminded him all too clearly that the man was his superior. He was most likely only here because Sephiroth wasn't as cold-hearted as most people thought he was. Lazard had given the silver-haired man the power to kick out nearly anybody he wanted; not that Genesis ultimately feared it, but it was an unsettling feeling. And he was still furious that the other had so openly ignored his wishes.

It was almost 6 p.m. when Sephiroth left the class room. Usually he fled right after the lectures were finished but today he let himself be cornered by excited classmates and answered their questions resignedly. He was honest, maybe a bit discouraging. He didn't want anything like last night happening again, so he needed to show them that he was just another guy before they started idolizing him. It was uncertain yet whether he had succeeded or not. After he had gotten something to eat from the canteen he went to his room, tired. (and) He had intended to go to bed early but the moment he opened the door and met Genesis' hostile glare he knew that this wasn't going to happen.

The redhead had given up on trying to get some rest hours ago and had settled for reading Loveless – again. Upon hearing the creak of their door, he only needed to look up briefly, oblivious to the fact that it was no friendly gaze, before he turned back to the poem, deliberately ignoring Sephiroth as he strode through the room. Everything about him was annoying him – to put it nicely.

Since he wasn't attacked by a flood of accusations Sephiroth closed the door behind him and walked over to his desk where he prepared to eat. The indefinable mush on his plate was warm and tasted bland, but Sephiroth didn't care. He sat down and ate it, wordlessly.

Genesis observed him the whole time, waiting for something, perhaps an apology that he knew would not come. Finally drawing his eyes back to his book he tried to comprehend the loose words he saw there, but they did not make any sense.

"You would have kicked them out, wouldn't you?" He asked eventually, not even noticing that it was his voice that had broken the silence.

tbc

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**Review replies** (Mary/_BMIK_)

fantasi88:

Well, who could that certain someone possibly be? *hint hint* hihi xD But you are right. Even if he was a SOLDIER first class, being outnumbered by almost equally skilled enemies is never easy to handle. Plus he does not have a weapon! Lazard it would be I guess xD As far as I understood it, he's in charge of the SOLDIERs as a whole, righty? :o Never really got their hierachy anyways ~ Thanks for the comment :D I always love hearing what people think while reading the story, it makes everything more lively, in my opinion : _You are right, poor Genesis was horribly outnumbered, but the knight with shining hair came to his rescue ;) Well, and I think Brad and his friends thought they were invincible, giving each others alibis... but apparently that didn't work too well XD_

hypnoticaa:

I'm glad you like it! As I said some chaps ago, I guess we had to get used to each other's style. When I re-read the beginning again, I think quite the same. The start was not as good as it eventually turned out, but I'm glad about that :D Thanks for the comment! _Yay, happy you like this! We won't leave it unfinished, I promise, I just need to make time for regular updates ^^'_

Shadow Haloed Angel:

Oh they will eventually :D But who wouldn't love some Drama? : On we go! Hope you have fun! _Love to you too, darling! Sorry for the delay, the next chapter will be up hopefully soon-ish XD_

**As usual comments and criticism is very much appreciated^^**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello hello! Again, it has been a while ORZ Not being a student anymore life seems to be even busier *sigh* but here you go with another, drama laden chapter! Btw, since we can has story covers now, anyone feeling like doing a little pic for Blitzkrieg? I offer a one-shot in return, with a pairing/topic of your choice^^**

**Now, enjoy please!**

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Chapter 13

The fork that was on its way to Sephiroth's mouth stopped. A sidelong glance was thrown at the redhead. "Yes and they would have deserved it," he replied, continuing to eat.

"Why?" The other simply asked, his gaze still fixed on the old, worn-out book, while he felt the ire stirring inside of him. Sephiroth did not think – really think – about what consequences his action might have on others. He was way too caught up in his idea of discipline and correct behavior.

"Because they ganged up against and attacked a member of their team, injuring it severely after a time of deliberate, cruel torture, probably killing it had they not been discovered!" Sephiroth found it unbelievable that Genesis even had to _ask _such a stupid question! It was obvious why he wanted those lunatics out of the facility where they could only cause more damage!

"Oh please, and here you are again. Exaggerating the whole situation excessively." The redhead snarled, closing his book with a loud thud. "They certainly wouldn't have killed me, not even they would be this stupid."

"It wasn't in their power to stop, those are group dynamics you can't even comprehend. And if I hadn't given you the materia and you would lie in a hospital bed now, suffering from a smashed rib cage and internal bleeding you wouldn't be so forgiving," Sephiroth retorted in a forced calm voice.

"Fine then, be my knight in shining armor, but why did you have to go running to Lazard and tell him about it, when I told you to leave it be?" Genesis snapped at him. "I did not want them to deepen the subject and I am the only one who is concerned here. So why did you have to make it your business, too?"

"Because it _is_ my business. You still don't get it, do you? This is not a one-man show and you are not the center of the universe. We are a team and disruptions affect everyone and the team's morals. This will become a matter of life and death and during missions you need to be able to trust your team mates. You have to become one in body and soul. In a situation of crisis you have to be strong mentally and physically and if they are unable and unwilling to bear the pressure already they are at the wrong place. And by shielding them you are just covering up a festering disease that will infect everyone and eventually lead to the collapse and suffering of the whole body that is SOLDIER. You are endangering your friends and those who rely on you with your stupid pride and your self-absorption. If you cannot get that into you egocentric head then you might consider packing your stuff and find another occupation as well."

The auburn haired young man gaped at Sephiroth for a moment, trying to comprehend that Sephiroth had – really! REALLY! – advised him to leave SOLDIER. Oh, how this giant, self-righteous prick was irritating him!

"Ah. Look who's talking about teamwork and trust." Genesis huffed indifferently at that, crossing his arms in front of his chest to hide that they were in fact shaking with suppressed rage. If he hadn't been so angry, he perhaps would have noticed that what Sephiroth said was true. He couldn't imagine pairing with Brad or the others because they hated him and he expected them to backstab him rather than back him up.

The argument was weak, so weak in fact that Sephiroth shouldn't have bothered answering it. Genesis knew nothing about his abilities in combat and missions, he was just being petulant, wanting to win this argument. "I learned my lesson too," he finally said, though.

"Ah, okay. Now then it's a completely different thing." Genesis retorted furiously, his pale blue eyes throwing daggers at Sephiroth's back. "Good for you that there was no one arrogant enough to kick you out when you made that mistake. Oh, excuse me, it slipped my mind that you would never make any mistake at all since you are perfect and infallible. But answer me one question. If you are so capable of doing things on your own, as you have pointed out so nicely during our very first mission, why _are_ you even in the SOLDIER program?"

He recalled briefly that Sephiroth had told him about ShinRa practically owning him, but neglected the information the next moment. He did not want to hear the truth, but he just wanted to hurt the other, as Sephiroth had done to him just mere moments ago.

Sephiroth didn't see where this was coming from and he instantly shut his heart to the mean attack. It still hurt.

"I never claimed that I was infallible. You of all people should know that I am not." His voice was utterly calm and he put aside his fork, cleaning his mouth with his napkin. He simply had shut off; he wasn't angry or offended or provoked. There was no emotion at all and he was hiding behind his wall of professionalism until Genesis would back down and leave him alone.

"I am in the SOLDIER program for various reason and one of them is to help raise and train soldiers that will survive, that can count on each other. I am here, too, to protect them and be protected and I am not willing to lose my life and leave my family behind because of the antics of some immature brats. This is _war_, Genesis, not some game. People will die, you might die and the only insurance we have is each other."

The redhead decided that there was no use in arguing with Sephiroth any further than this. The man simply was right, as much as it nagged him to admit this. They couldn't afford dealing with immature issues when the real purpose of the program was something this serious.

"I know…" He suddenly breathed out, the breath leaving his body along with the pent up anger. The only thing remaining was resignation. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's just… it itches me that I could not put up a decent fight about these guys." His shoulders dropped a little, his gaze still focused on the blanket or the carpet or anything but Sephiroth.

Sephiroth was honestly taken aback by the apology. He had expected more accusations and insults, but it seemed that Genesis' resolve had crumbled. He turned in his chair, his walls going down a bit. "They were five people attacking one. Under these circumstances no one could have won."

A bitter laugh echoed through the room, as Genesis gloomily stared at the wall on the other side of the room. "That's exactly it." He said cryptically. "Every one would have lost, yet I do not want to be… every one." Right after he had said it, he regretted it. Sephiroth did not need to know about this, so he decided for the first thing that came to his mind: Escape.

"Forget about it." He said with a sigh, getting up to grab something to eat, thoroughly ignoring the light limping he was staging while heading for the door. His freaking side was an annoying little shit.

"Are you in pain?" the silver haired man asked, tilting his head as he watched Genesis limp. He did not say anything about the comment the other had made.

The other stopped at the door, the handle already in his hand. He contemplated whether to tell the truth or lie about it, but judging from the fact that the silver-haired had noticed it there was no point in denying. "A little, my side is hurting since this morning. From training, probably. It'll go away."

"Lift your shirt up please." Sephiroth was not so sure that it would just go away. Genesis had been heavily injured last night, there was a good chance that the materia hadn't healed everything and then they needed to consult a doctor immediately.

The redhead turned around, looking at his roommate incredulously before a teasing smirk graced his lips. "Oh, you wanna get under my clothes so badly?" He asked, chuckling shortly after. "You don't need to feel me up, it's not that bad."

Lifting a brow a tiny smirk tugged at Sephiroth's lips. He relaxed a bit since the hostile atmosphere was gone. "If I wanted to get you naked for that reason you would know it." He winked but then turned serious again. "It might need treatment. The materia cannot heal every damage, especially if it is severe."

Genesis shook his head in amusement before a heavy sigh escaped his full lips. "Knock yourself out." He resigned, reaching for the hem of his shirt and pulling it up to expose his flawless stomach.

Sephiroth inwardly winced when he saw the huge bruise spreading over the white skin. "That doesn't look good," he muttered, carefully touching the wound to feel if it was broken. Genesis flinched. "Be still please. I think it is broken."

Groaning, Genesis tried to stay still despite the strange mixture of pain and tickling at his chest. "I cannot believe this. And again I'm going to see a doctor, fucking perfect." He grunted out, shaking his head at his bad luck.

"You better. Don't go to Hojo though." Sephiroth let go of the shirt and leaned back against his chair. "Actually, let me call Professor Gast and see if he has time. He is an excellent physician. It won't hurt too much."

"He's still a doctor." Genesis muttered while adjusting his shirt neatly again and being overall grumpy. This was ridiculous – and situations happened to be like that lately. "Would you call him for me? Perhaps he can just fill me up with pain killers or something and I'll be extra careful. I don't want to miss training and lessons again."

"I will call him and we will see." Sephiroth flipped his phone open and dialed a number. He waited a few seconds and then spoke the the doctor, asking him whether he would mind coming down to see a friend of Sephiroth's who might have been injured. The doctor seemed to agree, because the silver haired man gave him the number to his room. "He will be here in a few minutes. You can take off your shirt and think about an explanation for this that will make you feel easier about it. I will back you up."

The red-head nodded and sat down on his bed with a thoughtful expression. "Running against a door or something equally as silly wouldn't cover it, right?" He asked, his forefinger tipping against his chin. "I can just tell him that I got hurt during training and did not notice it until now."

"That sounds plausible, yes." Sephiroth nodded. "It could have happened this morning." They waited a few minutes until a knock from the door came and the doctor entered. "Is this the patient?" he asked and Sephiroth nodded, he had stood to shake the man's hand and greet him.

"I see. Nice to meet you, my name is doctor Gast."

"Genesis Rhapsodos." Genesis answered politely, also getting up to shake the man's hand and then getting rid of his shirt for the doctor to check up on his injury.

"Now, lets see what we have here..." The man pulled out his glasses and inspected the wound, then exploring it with the tip of his fingers carefully. "How did that happen?"

The auburn haired man shuddered from the touch, though it was no hard push it still hurt. "I assume it happened during the training this morning." Genesis lied calmly. "I did not notice it until now but I must have received a hit there." He did not feel too good lying to the man, but it was necessary if he did not want everybody to know about the incident yesterday.

"We were a bit reckless," Sephiroth affirmed. The doctor didn't say anything, just kept feeling the damage. He knew they were lying. There were several, almost healed wounds too, and the way they had healed spoke of the use of materia. If they wanted to keep the real reason to themselves he wouldn't ask them though. Young men their age had their own secrets. "Your rip is bruised. You should not move much within the next few weeks, no hard labor."

Genesis furrowed his brows at that. "Is there no way to make it heal faster? I have training and possibly missions… It would be quite… unhandy to say the least." He was glad that it was not broken, yet being bruised didn't seem to make it better if he wasn't allowed to train properly. He threw Sephiroth a short, thankful glance for the back-up.

"Young man," the doctor said sternly, looking at Genesis over the rim of his glasses. "You should value your health, as long as it is still intact." Nonetheless he pulled out a notebook and wrote a prescription. "You can get that at the infirmary. Be careful and don't exert yourself too much. You have an eye on him." He looked at Sephiroth, who nodded.

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry." The redhead said automatically, while a pout was forming on his lips. He knew his health should be precious to him – Angeal's mother had always told him that – but it was still difficult to act according to it. He nodded as well, slowly pulling his shirt down and adjusting it again. Doctor Gast gave him another meaningful, yet somewhat parental look before wishing them a good evening and leaving them.

"I could have imagined a nicer day than this one." Genesis groaned, while rubbing his eyes. He was still hungry, but way too lazy to go and grab something.

Sephiroth fell onto his bed, staring at the ceiling with his hands folded under his head. He blinked slowly, getting a bit tired himself. "It could have been worse."

"And how?" The other asked grumpily, shifting to get the pressure off his damaged rip and closing his eyes. "There is no way this day could have been worse."

Sephiroth let a few moments of silence pass, pondering that before finally saying, "Yes... you are probably right." He closed his eyes, shifting into a more comfortable position. "At least we solved one problem though."

Genesis sighed, playing with the prescription he still held in his hand without really noticing it. "Which one?" He asked eventually, stopping his fidget and laying the little piece of paper on the nightstand, intending to go and grab his medicine tomorrow.

"They will most likely leave you alone now." Sephiroth shrugged, noticing with satisfaction the cracking bone in his back.

The other made a tsking sound in the back of his throat. "That wasn't a problem before, you know?" He said idly, while observing ceiling closely. "They left me alone for some time…"

"You just seem to have a natural talent for pissing people off," Sephiroth drawled sweetly from his bed, smirking. In all honesty, a few days ago he would have been gloating at the fact that Genesis got a good beating. He'd been tempted to do it himself the one or other time...

Genesis blinked at Sephiroth, his eyebrow arching as he scrutinized him with a blank expression. Then he shrugged. "You have to admit, it can come in handy the one or other time. A pissed off enemy is a careless enemy." A smile spread over his well-defined features.

"Oh, I can certainly see the advantage of having a raging, furious nemesis beyond control beating the crap out of you." Sephiroth rolled his eyes and snorted.

The red-head sat up at that and glared at the man on the bed across from him. "Do you want to imply that I cannot defend myself properly?" He asked, dangerously quiet.

"Well, you obviously couldn't last night," Sephiroth retorted unfazed, silver brow arched. Inwardly he sighed; Genesis and his temper...

The other rolled his eyes dramatically, crossing his arms in front of his chest and scowling at Sephiroth. "It was … what five or six against one? And I wasn't even trying to piss them off, they just were because I existed. And if we want to blame someone here for their behavior, it would be you, I assume. They were _your_ crazy fans, who worship the ground you walk on and take everything you spill for God's divine word."

"It's not my fault that I am so awesome." The smirk widened. "But really, you shouldn't blame it on them. They are only human, their adoration was misguided and we all make mistakes." There was a heavy layer of sarcasm coating his words, because Genesis had been the one defending that crazy bunch before and now their roles had been reversed in a perverse parody of their earlier fight.

Genesis hissed at that, his blue eyes ablaze with anger and annoyance. He knew he had used the very same words before, but he wouldn't let Sephiroth beat him in his own game. "You and awesome? Please evaluate as to how far." He demanded before raising his left hand. "Honestly now. You are no different from all the others. You are only human yourself, you need to eat, to shower, to pee, to fart, to go to the Doctors because you got ill, to use materia when you are exhausted." Genesis raised his auburn head to meet Sephiroth's stealthy gaze. "Really, you are no better than the rest of us."

"I am so sorry, I thought I had been subtle about it. You can open the window for fresh air, I don't mind."

The ire in Genesis' face got immediately replaced by the confusion he now felt. "Excuse me?" He asked, puzzled.

"I farted. You can open the window if it pleases you," Sephiroth clarified with a straight face, rolling over on his belly and resting his chin on his folded arms.

The other pondered on Sephiroth's words for a moment, before shaking his head and trying to will away the laughter that was bubbling up inside of his stomach. "You got to be kidding me!" He giggled.

"What? Don't tell me you secretly thought I was a god too," the silver haired man replied wryly. "Indeed it is a vital necessity to exude gas every once in a while. Otherwise you would just blow up like a balloon some day..." He looked pensive as he tried to envision that for a second but then shook his head, smirking.

At that, the red-head couldn't hold back anymore, his rich laughter filling the air around them and soon he had to wrap his arms around his stomach to keep it from aching too badly. "I swear…" He panted. "One day you will kill me with this bone-dry way of saying things." He giggled again, meanwhile wiping away the tears that had spilled from his eyes from the laughter.

"Now don't tell me you never suffered from flatulence." Sephiroth stuck his bottom lip out, pretending to sulk. It was good to see Genesis laugh so openly, it was refreshing and quite beautiful. Also it was pretty infectious and Sephiroth had a hard time holding his own laughter back and keeping up the act.

Genesis shook his head in a vain attempt to right himself and try to calm down. "That's not it." He said with a chuckle, wiping away the last remains of the tears from his cheeks. "Some moments ago I was totally furious with you and then you say something as… normally embarrassing as farting in that matter-of-fact voice of yours…" He shook his head again with another chuckle, his red hair falling mostly over his face before he brushed it away again. "It's just hilarious."

"If you say so," Sephiroth smirked, opening his mouth for half a second of silence before producing an enormously loud burp that echoed and vibrated through the room in a deep baritone. "This is the military you know. We do manly stuff here."

At first the other looked stunned, blinking at Sephiroth as if he had sprouted a second head or something equally as sensational before crashing onto his bed in another fit of laughter, his face turning nearly as red as his hair.

When he eventually was able to calm down again, he looked at Sephiroth, a grin on his face and his breathing going as pants. "I cannot believe we are having this… conversation."

"We should have had that conversation long ago already. As your superior and mentor I have to make sure that you get a proper introduction to all things vital in the army. Now, your turn," he ordered strictly, but the chuckle that spilled from his lips betrayed his serious attitude.

"No way, I'm a petite, well-bred being. I'm not doing things like that… At least not in front of anyone." Genesis said, furrowing his brows, but still grinning at Sephiroth all the while.

"And here you wonder why you get beat up," Sephiroth snorted, but it was all in good nature. He closed his eyes, sighing.

"Because I do not fart and burp?" Genesis asked, blinking at an upside-down Sephiroth because his head was dangling from the edge of his bed. "Why would that be?"

"You are an easy target." Sephiroth lifted his brows, eyes still closed. "There're certain manly rituals that need to be performed to keep the group together. Whether you like that or not, things are going that way." And in all honesty Sephiroth didn't mind that one bit. He liked burping and farting. It was relieving.

A shadow cast over Genesis' face, his forehead wrinkling in consideration. Even though these… actions were nothing he despised, he had been taught not to do them in public. It was nothing one should do around others and how he needed to fart to become group's member was secretive to him. "Sometimes I think my parents got confused about my gender." He said after a pause. "But it's still nothing I will do in front of others and I won't even consider doing it around you, so let's drop this whole topic."

"I am glad we talked about it though."Sephiroth smirked, and left it at that. Tomorrow would be a stressful day, and he needed his sleep. Rolling over on his side he grabbed the blanket and drew it over his shoulder. "Good night."

Genesis sighed into the silence shortly afterwards. "Good night." The whisper was lost in the noise of the movement he made when turning off the light and laying down. He turned over to his side, careful not to disturb his aching rib. Closing his eyes he thought about the day, and hoped he would forget it soon.

The next morning they got up early for class. Sephiroth got dressed half asleep, his body moving on its own like a zombie. He needed coffee, badly. Luckily people just cleared a path for him and there was no question that he got served first; the line in front of the vending machine respectfully stepped away as he grumpily approached it and got a can of lukewarm, black coffee. "You want something?" he asked into Genesis' direction since he was at it anyways. And the redhead was still ill and all.

Genesis only nodded sleepily, rubbing his annoyingly twisting right eye and yawned in underlining of his own sleepiness. This was no good morning. They had both crawled out of their beds, completely tired and drained, but awake enough to bitch about who would be the first in the tiny bathroom. Eventually they had shared, brushing their teeth idly next to each other without losing a word throughout the whole procedure.

"Thank you… with milk and sugar please." He said quietly, stretching his muscles a little before deciding that he would get his medicine right after breakfast. His rib was aching like hell.

Wordlessly, Sephiroth handed the can over. They had exactly 10 minutes to chew down their bland breakfast that consisted of a stone hard roll with a thin slice of cheese. Sephiroth didn't even look at his plate but just gulped down his coffee, waiting for Genesis to finish.

Having gotten used to the … things ShinRa called food, Genesis drank his coffee, enjoying the nice heat it spread through his overtired body and how it started to vitalize him almost immediately. Nibbling at the cheese, he suppressed the faint glimmer of homesickness when thinking about the rich and delicious breakfast their cook had always made for them. He was just so spoiled.

After they finished, they brought back their trays. "You should get that medication now, before class starts," Sephiroth muttered. He glanced to the back of the canteen, restlessly scanning the hall; he got the feeling that he was being observed, but pretty much everyone here looked at him. It wasn't just the curious stares though, he was used to that. No, the fine hairs in his back stood up alarmingly. He was being watched with a purpose. He was being stalked.

Genesis nodded solemnly, noticing Sephiroth's observing look at their surroundings. "We are being watched." He stated quietly, leading the way to the infirmary like the doctor had said he should do. There was no way of knowing if they were really being monitored or if this was just some silly prank. Either way, they would know once they got away from the large crowd in the canteen.

Sephiroth nodded. "Act natural. You didn't notice anything." They exited the crowded, but oddly quiet hall (speaking during meals was forbidden and everyone got in line very orderly). They walked down the hallway, where more recruits hurried up to the canteen to still get breakfast, but the closer they got to the infirmary, the emptier it got. The feeling of being watched didn't go away though. "Let's get your medicine," Sephiroth finally said, but he gave Genesis a meaningful look. Behind the next corner they would be waiting to see who was following them...

The redhead was having a hard time not constantly looking over his shoulder, when he definitely noticed the gaze that was burning into his head. He hated being watched, it was an awful feeling and even more awful when he couldn't do anything against it. He nodded at Sephiroth's statement.

As they went around the next corner Genesis kept going as steadily as he could, while Sephiroth waited for their follower to show himself.

Sephiroth pressed flat against the wall, waiting for whoever was watching them to make a mistake. He reckoned it was one of the guys from the day before, and if that was true then the Goddess help them! He had enough of their antics alrea-

It wasn't one of them. Rather, another redhead stumbled into him pretty undignified, swearing at the force with which he collided into Sephiroth. The silver haired man looked at their stalker blankly. Black Suit. Horrid Attitude.

Turk.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Genesis turned when he heard Sephiroth's voice, assuming that he had caught the poor guy that was following them. And really, the auburn haired man had expected anything but this.

The guy in front of Sephiroth was a little shorter than Genesis himself, had vibrant red hair that was standing upwards into every possible direction, while the rest was caught in a pigtail. His eyes were bright blue and the hair on his forehead was held back by something that looked like googles. Genesis raised his eyebrow at him. That suit of his rang a bell in his memory, but he couldn't quite put a finger on where he had seen it before.

Reno cursed himself inwardly at having been caught so easily, but Tseng had already told him that these two Soldiers wouldn't be fooled effortlessly. And he had been way too lazy to really be subtle around them.

"Turk business." He said simply, shooting ShinRa's Golden Boy a teasing

"It seems that in this case Turk business is related to My Business," Sephiroth retorted coolly. Actually he wasn't too surprised that they were under observation. It was probably Lazard's order because of the recent events. But what actually was a surprise was the clumsiness of their stalker. "Still a rookie, I take it?" he asked from above.

"Direct order from the Bossman." Reno answered simply, crossing his arms in front of his sloppily buttoned suit. "And yes, I'm new to the Turks, thank ya very much. Anyways, my job is not to observe ya, but to observe what happens around ya, so it doesn't matter if ya know I stalk ya or not, got it?" He replied easily.

Genesis was quite impressed by the way the guy, this Turk, talked to Sephiroth. He only knew this… slightly disrespectful attitude from himself and he decided he like the other redhead.

"You might want to take into consideration that you will be painfully obvious to anyone with just the slightest skill of observation, thus everyone will know that you are stalking us. The only thing you will be able to observe is blaring nothingness." Sephiroth folded his arms over his chest. He would have to call Tseng and tell him to call off his useless watch-puppy.

"Says ya…" Reno retorted with his typical grin. "But ya know… there are a hell of a lot of people, who do not have enhanced hearing and what else ya Soldiers all have. Let me do my work and ya do yours, kay?" This wasn't the redhead's first mission, but he was simply bored out of his mind with just following these two. He had been sent to watch them yesterday and they hadn't noticed him, so he assumed they had only caught him because was languid and tired, as easy as that. That was why he would not let this Sephiroth guy get under his skin.

"Well, even I noticed you." Genesis said lazily. "And I was never exposed to mako or the like."

"_Whatever_, yo. Just get that damn medicine." Reno rolled his eyes and put his hand in his pocket, searching for a much needed smoke. Sephiroth wordlessly turned around, continuing his way to the infirmary and saying towards Genesis. "As hard as that may be let's ignore him for now. It really isn't worth the trouble."

Genesis merely shrugged and followed Sephiroth to get his medicine so they could finally head to their class and get over with it already. Even though he now _knew_ who was following them, it still unnerved him to know that somebody did and that he was turning his back on him.

"I simply hate it when someone's watching me." He told Sephiroth, opening the door to the infirmary and handing the woman behind the desk his prescription.

"I hear you." Sephiroth looked at their stalker from the corner of his eye and the brat had the balls to actually wink at him. Well, at least he was relatively easy on the eyes... Besides, now that they knew that they were watched it would be easier to not be caught in a compromising situation. And whoever wished them harm would steer clear of them too. All in all it wasn't such a bad thing."Just ignore him, you will get used to it eventually." Sephiroth said to Genesis, while winking back at Reno with an otherwise blank face. He would take no shit from a Turk rookie.

"Are you winking at him?" Genesis snorted, his eyes glittering mischievously yet there was a slight stir in his chest at Sephiroth's action. He denied that this was jealousy.

"Yes. It's a secret Turk code for 'get lost'. But he is new, no one told him yet. Too bad." Sephiroth concentrated back on the counter where the nurse was still searching for their order in a huge cupboard. It was boring watching her. Sephiroth's eyes flickered to the clock hanging on the wall. Class would start in 2 minutes. They were going to be late. And they got Hollander for their lecture...

"You are quite mean, you know that?" Genesis asked the other without malice in his words, accepting the medicine shortly after and listening to the brunet nurse telling him when to take it and how much of it. He thanked her politely and then went over for the little water dispenser to swallow down one of the little pill. "Let's go, I'm done."

Unenthusiastically Sephiroth followed. He would get a snide remark from Hollander for being late, just because the guy hated him (Sephiroth wasn't even sure why). Reno followed lazily, yawning. This day could only get better.

Against all expectations they were only two minutes late, yet Dr. Hollander was commenting on Sephiroth's behavior waspishly, while he did not even seem to notice that Genesis was late too. The red-head felt slightly sorry for the taller warrior, but he decided not to speak up against the doctor, because no matter how old Hollander seemed to be, he was still intimidating and Genesis wanted to stay on his good side.

Reno followed them around for the rest of the day, hiding better the more time passed and the more awake he became. They didn't really see him for the rest of the day and Genesis was sometimes not entirely sure if he was still following them or not.

Lecturing was as boring as always and training was more like sitting around and listening to several tactics and moves than anything else. Very boring. Genesis really had the urge to do something, to spar, to fight, anything that would strain his drugged up body. He felt itchy and restless for most of the day, wondering what kind of drug exactly he had been given.

Sephiroth was even more bored and his thoughts kept wandering in circles. He could actually be out in the field, doing something useful and thrilling, but here he was sitting in a room full of morons, listening to Hollander. Frustration and pent up energy started to swirl restlessly inside him. On top of that the training halls would be reserved this evening for First Class SOLDIER training.

When the class ended, Genesis was in desperate need for some action. This day had simply been boring as hell and Hollander's endless monologues about strategies and warfare hadn't exactly been the most thrilling ones.

"I'm bored." He addressed Sephiroth, stretching his arms over his head before leaning against his desk.

"Then go entertain yourself." Sephiroth was bored too, and when he was bored he was grumpy and no pleasant person to be around. He tended to become snappy and anti-social which only deepened the problem of being bored because everyone avoided him.

"Pf…" Genesis answered, pushing away from his desk and walking towards the exist. "Do as you please." He said before vanishing into the emptying halls, determined to find Angeal for some entertainment at least.

Sephiroth looked after him blinking. He hadn't expected Genesis to take the advise so literally... Great. Now he would be even more bored and there was no around now to fight or fuck with. How was he supposed to vent off? Sephiroth leaned back in his creaking chair, morosely glaring at his bed. Then the proverbial lightbulb popped up in his hands and he opened the window to see Reno stand next to a nearby tree, smoking and looked bored out of his wits. "Get in here."

Reno looked up the silver-haired man with an expression that varied from confused to suspicious. "Nope, my job's out here, yo." He answered before taking the last drag of his cigarette.

Why did the brat have to be difficult? "Fine if you rather want to stand outside all day than getting a free fuck, be my guest." Sephiroth closed the window again, not waiting for an answer. Fuck passive aggressiveness and being eloquent, he was in an abysmal mood and his patience was wearing thin. Besides it irritated him that Genesis had just left like that. They could have done stuff together. Not that Sephiroth wanted to. Of course not. It would just have been convenient, because they shared a room. And after all, Sephiroth was taking care of him all the time, so the least he could expect was some- whatever. He didn't need the brat anyways. He could draw entertainment from other people.

Blinking up towards the now closed window, Reno tried to comprehend what Sephiroth had just said… he had just offered him sex? Just like that? What the fuck? Shaking his red head, he threw the cigarette to the ground and stumped it out. Should he check up on the other? Or was it a trap? But the idea of having sex with the great Sephiroth was much more entertaining that standing out here and observing his window.

He could still resume to his work when he was done, Reno decided, before entering the building and seconds later knocking at the silverette's door.

"At least they teach you manners at the Turks." Sephiroth pulled the young man in and shut the door behind him. Too bad they had no locks, but he didn't expect to be interrupted anyways. "Take your clothes off."

Reno took his sweet time looking around in the room, checking for anything that resembled a trap or a possible threat before turning towards Sephiroth. "Excuse me?"

"Take. Your. Clothes. Off." Sephiroth repeated, slightly unnerved. It seemed that Turks weren't the sharpest tools in the box. Well, with this particular one it didn't come as a big surprise.

"Why. Should. I. Do. That?" Reno retorted matter-of-factly. Even though the other had practically invited him for sex didn't mean he would just undress and bend over for him.

"Because you either do or leave," Sephiroth answered coolly, starting to take his boots off. "I suspect you wouldn't want to explain to Tseng why your uniform is sweaty and cum stained anyways."

"Well, ya invited me in, so I assume _you_ are in desperate need for a fuck here, not I, yo." Reno snickered, folding his arms behind his head and observing Sephiroth closely.

"Well, you came in here despite your duty being simply watching us, so I assume you need it just as badly," Sephiroth replied smoothly. His boots were neatly placed by the end of the bed. What was it with redheads and their constant need to talk back to him?

"Hm, point taken." Reno agreed easily. "Still I won't just undress and bend down because you say so." He shrugged, grinning widely at Sephiroth, even if it was just to unnerve him.

"Maybe I should give you a hand then." In the blink of an eye Sephiroth had grabbed the man by the collar and pressed him against the wall, pinning him there with his weight. The suit was thin, probably in regards to the weather, and Reno's body heat radiated off on him in waves. "You're not a virgin, are you?" Sephiroth smirked against the man's ear.

The red-head gasped when his back met the hard wall behind him and he felt Sephiroth's hard body pressing against his. It would be a lie to pretend he had never contemplated this situation. "Certainly not, yo!" He breathed out, meeting Sephiroth's icy gaze stealthily.

"Then why are you acting all coy and shy like a little girl, hm?" The silver haired man teased, his tongue darting out to lick over Reno's cheek. "Would you like me to treat you like a proper lady?" He pushed his hips forward, making his groin bump against Reno's, making him feel his erection and in turn being reassured that Reno was pretty solid in his pants too.

"Hmpf, I have been called quite a lot but coy and shy was never among them." Reno answered with a slight pant in his voice, biting his bottom lip to contain the sigh of approval when Sephiroth rubbed against him. Then he leaned in towards the other's left ear, breathing hot and heavily into it before saying, "If you treat me like a proper lady, who likes it rough and hard, then yes, please do so."

"Hm, I would rather call that a naughty lady... Not that I object." Since Reno still made no move to undress himself Sephiroth took the task upon himself by simply ripping the guy's shirt open. It wasn't his problem how Reno would explain that later. His palm wandered flat over the redhead's heaving chest, rubbing over a smooth nipple that grew erect under his massage. "You like it from behind? On your knees, little lady?"

Inhaling sharply by the sudden contact, Reno looked at his now exposed chest. "If ya ruin my clothes I will have ya explain that to the bossman, yo." He said warningly, leaning into Sephiroth's touch while his fingers worked their way under his shirt, feeling the smooth and well-trained muscles beneath. "'m quite flexible, ya know?" He answered with a grin, biting down on the white skin of Sephiroth's exposed throat.

"I am sure he will understand the severe importance of this mission," Sephiroth purred. There was no need to hold Reno anylonger, so he instead used his hands to open the man's pants and let them fall down to pool around his legs.

"I heavily doubt he will." The other replied drily, sighing with relief when his pants were undone. Sephiroth's shirt lay on the floor only minutes later and Reno started to work on his pants immediately.

Their movements were feverish and quick, but precise. They both had been doing this before, and their lips were on each other's skin, licking and suckling while they got naked. Their clothes were carelessly thrown onto the floor when they settled on Genesis' bed. Sephiroth had already gotten condoms and lube ready before Reno had entered, but for now he was above the man, gripping his cock to stroke it slowly. It seemed they both liked it quick and dirty.

Reno moaned lowly, while his dick was being caressed, bucking his hips into Sephiroth's hand for more stimulation. His hands tangled into the long silver locks and he spread his legs a little wider, urging Sephiroth to go on finally.

"Quite needy, aren't you?" Sephiroth smirked reaching for the lube to smear some onto his fingers. They were cold and slick as he pressed them against Reno's asshole. It twitched and was hot, even through the cold lube. Reno's balls lay heavily in Sephiroth's palm as he pushed one finger inside to the second knuckle, testing how tight Reno was. "Has been a while, hm?"

The other took a deep breath, half of it sounding like a strangled moan from the tingling sensation that spread through his body. "Turk's 're busy, ya'know." Reno said while gritting his teeth. "Unlike you Soldiers obviously." He wriggled a bit, showing the silver-haired man that he was ready to go on and not minding a little amount of pain at all. His hands were pulling the smooth strands slightly, when the other didn't do as he wanted immediately.

"That is why everyone wants to join SOLDIER so badly," Sephiroth smirked. He took his sweet time to prepare Reno, penetrating him with a single finger, slowly at first, then a bit faster before adding a second one. His own cock was leaking precum. Just then he noticed that really, it had been a while for him too, to be going all out on someone. With Genesis it had been touching and oral pleasures... strange, that he hadn't noticed before. Could that be because he hadn't felt that anything was missing from their intimacies? He pushed the thoughts of the other redhead out of his mind and concentrated on the one he was just about to bone, hard. "Ready for me little lady?" he finally asked, withdrawing his fingers. "Get on your knees."

"Just because you ask so nicely." Reno replied sweetly, yet panting from the assault. His cock was longing for a touch and his body was singing with unreleased pleasure and pent-up orgasm. He turned around, his face pressed into the soft cushion of the bed, his gaze drifting to the nightstand where an old-looking book lay. Without bothering he got to his knees and ignored the rise of heat at his neck. This was indignant, but he was getting a hopefully good lay, so. Who cared anyways?

"Would you hurry a lil? I'm expected to report to Tseng in ten minutes, yo."

Sephiroth just rolled his eyes while spilling lube onto his pulsing, plastic wrapped cock, stroking it a few times times to get the sticky liquid everywhere. Then he unceremoniously grabbed Reno by the waist and entered him with a sharp thrust that split the redhead's hole wide open and let Sephiroth's cock glide in easily. "Stop whining like a bitch." Fuck, the guy was tight, all right.

Reno's moan was a strange, but pleasant mix of pleasure and pain. Sephiroth's hot, vibrant cock was fillinghim completely, making him pant and moan without the other even moving. "Fuck…" He breathed out, his eyes squeezed shut tightly as his fingers clawed at the blanket. "Stop behaving like a sappy bastard and fuck me already." He moaned out, his legs sliding open a little wider to make Sephiroth go easier. It had been a long time since he had been filled so thoroughly and it was heaven.

"Oh all right, I'll make you limp back to Tseng." The mental image of Reno literally limping amused him greatly. It also turned him on. Withdrawing a bit he drove in to the hilt the next second, their bodies slapping against each other. Sephiroth's fingers dug into Reno's flesh, as he picked up a sensual, fast pace, impaling the redhead over and over again. It was fast, hard and tremendously fulfilling. No strings attached, just two people who used each other for relief.

Sephiroth's own breath came out in pants now as his body snapped back and forth, shoving his cock up Reno's tight ass repeatedly.

"Yes…" Reno moaned continuously, bucking up against Sephiroth, shifting the angle from time to time and holding it when Sephiroth was finally stabbing his prostate with every single thrust. Orgasm was building up inside his body and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold out long. The silver-haired man was fucking him well and it was just the right pace to get him off. It was hard and satisfying, it was pleasuring and paining. He moaned loudly at the next thrust.

"Hm, you want to cum, don't you?" Sephiroth leaned back, picking up the speed. The mattress was creaking underneath them, moaning in protest but they didn't care. It felt wonderful, energetic and Sephiroth could feel his own orgasm tightening his balls. With one hand he reached around to grab Reno's cock and stroke it relentlessly, milking it for his hot semen.

Walking the halls towards his room, Genesis was far more relaxed than before. A good spar with Angeal just before the First Class's had entered the training room had done it for him and now he was exhausted but happy. His body wasn't itching and fidgety anymore, but his rib still didn't hurt.

Genesis stopped at their door and laid his hand onto the handle when his ears caught a faint sound. Furrowing his brows he listened, hearing it again but muffled through the door. What was Sephiroth doing in there?

Opening the door and stepping in, he stopped dead in the doorway, watching the scene in front of him in horror.

"Oh fuck, harder, yessssss!" Reno looked back over his shoulder at the man that was fucking him into oblivion, trashing into his cock and hand wildly. His face was red with heat and lust, his nipples stood straight into the cool breeze that suddenly came from the door. It didn't matter because his climax just took him and the world became a blur of pleasure. Reno cried out, just as he felt Sephiroth spill his load inside him. The man behind him pushed in deep one last time, hissing with narrowed eyes as he came. Unlike Reno he was aware of the intrusion however and turned his head just in time to come face to face with Genesis.

Fuck.

End chapter~

* * *

**Review Replies:** (MaryMurderprincess/_BMIK_)

**Liriel: **Oh what would their relationship be without pissing each other off? That's basically all they do xD Thanks for your comment! _Thank you, dear, I am feeling better already. Haha, well, their relationship is like a roller coaster ride, but if it wasn't things'd get boring ;)_

**fantasi88**: It would be way too simple to just let them be now. You definitely summed up the problem they are facing right now. They just don't understand each other and don't even try to walking in the other's shoes. It's actually funny to write that but frustrating all the while because those problems are so universal. Thanks for the comment! :) _It seems that they are rushing from one problem to the next, doesn't it? Never gets boring with those two ;) As you probably read in the new chapter there was some intercourse... but it only leads to more problems XD_

**Shadow Haloed Angel: **Don't worry too much :) We are content as long as you comment… sometime xD Just to let us know whether you like or hate it ^^ Thanks a lot for the compliment. I'm glad you liked it! And… yeah. Seph does what he deems right xD Sad thing about it is that it's exactly what Gen deems wrong xD _Yay, happy you like it! We could never kill our darling GenGen, of course! He will do that himself ;) Yeah, those two are just so stubborn, they keep clashing and clashing!_

**Afuri: **Thanks a lot for all the comments 8D *giddy* Made me laugh so hard, srsly! I love hearing people's random thoughts on certain paragraphs of the story (one of your comments just made me think about that!) it's so epic. It's so awfully funny that I laugh my ass off every time someone does that xD I'm glad you like the story so far! _OMG, you sweet thing, thanks for taking the time and reviewing all the chapters! I'm happy to know that you like it so far. It is a very different story from the one I write with Soyna. I think Sephiroth is a lot more flawed and 'younger' in this one (and less of an asshole... probably XD). And you're right, they didn't do it yet, did they ? XD I wonder if they ever will, if they keep it up like that!_

**XXTakaraXX: **Teheheheh, so true XD They are so lovey-dovey all over each other but don't get it, it's kinda adorable :D Thanks for the comment! _Haha, yes, now if only they'd notice themselves! ;)_

**NoAccountD: **Cliffhangers are a writers best friend :D teheh. Glad you like this so far ;) Thanks for the comment! _Here you go – with another cliffhanger, sorry! XD_

**Kira:**_ I'm happy you like it! Sorry for the long wait, here you go^^_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The auburn haired man just stared at Sephiroth, blue eyes wide and shock reflecting in them as he tried to comprehend what was just happening here.

Sephiroth was being deeply buried inside that potty-mouthed red-haired Turk's body, on HIS bed!

"What the fuck is going on here?" Genesis shouted angrily, trying to suppress the urge to cry and not allowing himself to feel any jealousy at all. Not for Sephiroth.

"...A fuck?" Sephiroth offered, blank-faced. All right, Genesis had the worst timing ever and he just ruined Sephiroth's orgasm! Not by interrupting per se, but by making the silver haired man feel... guilty. Underneath him, Reno moved forward and Sephiroth pulled out.

"Yo," the redhead greeted, still dizzy. He grabbed Genesis' blanket to wipe his ass. "We're kinda busy here, care to come back later?"

And that just was enough to make Genesis explode.

"HOW DARE YOU?" he screamed at Reno, grabbing his disturbingly red hair and yanking his head back. "You are lying in _my_ bed, cleaning your ass with _my_ blanket and spilling your filthy seed on _my_ cushion, and you dare to even _talk_ to me?" He growled lowly before turning towards Sephiroth. "And you dare do this? Here? Are you out of your motherfucking mind? I swear to God, I'll _kill_ you."

"Eh, what the fuck, man! Get over yourself, you ain't gonna kill anyone, yo! You're just lookin' stupid," Reno hissed, squeezing one eye shut, but the next moment he had Genesis' wrist in a tight grip, pressing and forcing him to let go. "That's it, I'm outta here, deal with that crazy sonofabitch yourself, yo." This being said, Reno grabbed his clothes and made a run for it because really, he had no intentions of dealing with that one!

Sephiroth watched the fleeing redhead before turning back to Genesis. He slowly stood from the bed, still naked. "There's something called 'knocking'."

"There's something called _my_ room, _my_ bed, _my_ blanket!" Genesis yelled hysterically, shoving Sephiroth away from his bed, grabbing the stained cushion and pushing it against his chest. "Take it with you, pathetic little bastard," he growled lowly.

"And what am I supposed to do with it?" Sephiroth held the stained cloth with pointy fingers. "You are overreacting. This is my room as well." Offense was the best defense, and he went for it. Of course it was unpleasant to be interrupted like that, and Genesis _was _overreacting (a little bit), but Sephiroth suspected that he may have overstepped a line here. However he would never admit that and just coldly looked at the other.

Genesis' face was as red as his hair now, the vein on his head throbbing dangerously. "You will take it and get rid of it and then you will organize a new blanket for me, and I totally do not care how you manage that," he said through gritted teeth, staring Sephiroth down with hard, blue eyes. "And now I will go and do it already…"

"Do what?" Sephiroth threw the stained blanket into a corner, refusing to yield. "You know what, I don't care. We'll talk again when you get your damn temper in check, I'm sick of your hysterics." He went to his wardrobe, fetching a robe, because he needed a shower and some food and when he came back (with a fresh blanket...) Genesis would hopefully have calmed down. Seriously...

"What do you expect me to do, Great Sephiroth?" Genesis' voice was dripping with malice and wrath. "Take the fucking blanket and bend over so you can take me too, like some nameless other guy?" Oh, when he was on it, he wouldn't let Sephiroth get away with this so easily. "You are pathetic and you are slutty and you are not even worth anybody's breath."

"Oh I was certainly worth his breath," Sephiroth snapped back. Slutty? How was he slutty? "You are so damn frigid, you can't even _spell _slutty!"

"Frigid? Are you kidding me?" Genesis merely stared at him for a moment, before his teeth pressed so harshly against another that the muscles on his cheeks showed. "I'm quite able to spell slutty and I'm also able to notice when somebody is only _using _others and fucking around."

"It's none of your business, and no, I am not 'kidding' at all. I am also not having this discussion with you." Sephiroth closed the belt of his robe, seething. How did Genesis dare making him look like the bad guy here? It was _him _who had wandered off, and now he was complaining that Sephiroth had had company in his own room? It wasn't his fault that Genesis had walked in on them. "I won't ask you for permission who I am sleeping with, who do you think you are? If it pleases me I can have dozens of encounters like that and you will have to suck it up, because I order you to."

There was a faint flash of hurt that went through Genesis' deep eyes before he looked down and finally turned away from Sephiroth. "You should better go and take a shower. You stink of filthy, cheap sex." His hands, that lay on his forearms, clawed into his flesh lightly, to suppress the emotions that were bubbling up inside of his chest.

Sephiroth wordlessly turned and left the room. He pretended to not have seen the look on Genesis' face, because then he would have to think and he didn't want to think right now. He wanted to get a shower and forget about the whole, undignified incident ASAP.

When he heard the door fall into its lock, Genesis sighed shakily, rubbing his hands over his face to will the tears away that were watering his eyes. He would not cry, Sephiroth was not worth crying for.

He didn't know what to do, what to feel and what to think, so Genesis paced around in the room, feeling it was too small and too empty at the same time. Sighing, he left the room, determined to find Angeal and have someone to pity him. Angeal sat hunched over his studies when Genesis burst into his room without knocking.

Luckily his room mate was out with friends so they had some privacy, but Angeal was startled to say the least. He sat straight up at his desk, staring at his friend in surprise. "What's going on? You forgot something?" Just a few moments ago they had parted and Genesis had seemed relaxed and balanced and now he looked like a mess!

The other just shook his head and wordlessly slumped down on Angeal's bed, a strange mix of anger and hurt reflecting in his sea-blue eyes. "Did I ever mention that I hate him, like really _hate_ him?" He asked nobody in particular. Genesis just wanted to curl up on his friend's bed now and forget about the whole incident, forget about Sephiroth and his hurtful attitude towards everybody around him. And suddenly he felt like he was ten years old again, after a bad fight with his parents, when he used to run through town to Angeal's home.

Angeal got up. walking over to the bed and carefully sitting down at the edge. "Who are you talking about.? Sephiroth?" Admittedly he couldn't keep track anymore whether Sephiroth was Genesis' sworn enemy, or if they had a phase where they got along well... their relationship status seemed to change constantly. "What happened Genesis?" He lay a hand on Genesis' leg to reassure him.

"Who else would I be talking about?" Genesis spat harshly, yet again not really addressing Angeal. Only the warm hand on his leg made him aware that his friend was sitting next to him. He turned his head, looking into those orbs that had kept him going on for so long, and smiled. "He had a quickie with that sloppy Turk, who is observing us for whatever reason… on _my_ bed, can you believe that." Genesis looked at the blanket again, thoughtfully stroking over the soft fabric. "I guess I overreacted again…"

That was definitely too much information for Angeal, but he patiently sat there, listening. At least Genesis spared him the details. "Well... you share a room, things like that can happen. You should probably establish some rules... signs so that the other knows not to come in... and you should make clear that your bed is off-limits for such things..." Angeal tried to be helpful and constructive though he had an inkling that it wasn't really not appreciated.

Genesis merely shrugged at that, at a loss of what to say. Somewhere deep down he knew that it was not the misuse of his bed that made him angry, but the whole idea of Sephiroth having sex with someone else that was not him. And with that bothersome Turk of all people. Perhaps the silver haired soldier had a soft spot for red-heads. 'Okay, that hurts even more', Genesis thought with a grimace.

"Why are you so angry?" Angeal finally asked, as Genesis had gone stubbornly silent.

The smaller man opened his mouth to answer that it was only because of his bed, but closed it again when he noticed that lying to Angeal would not help. "I… I don't know," he eventually said, quietly and as if he was astonished by it as well.

"Okay... You think you are angry because he violated your private sphere?" They had to narrow the problem down a bit here, Angeal had no idea what was going on and Genesis was weird sometimes. Normal logic didn't apply.

Genesis laughed quietly at that and shook his head. "He violated that about a hundred times before, so no, I don't think so." He started to slowly nibble at his bottom lip in musing.

"So you were angry that he had intercourse?" Angeal asked hesitantly. He wished he could offer Genesis some tea, but they didn't have anything here.

"It would be the only logical option, right?" The other answered caustically and brushed through his disheveled auburn strands.

Angeal frowned. "So you hate him and that is why you don't want him to have sex... in your room? Help me a bit here Genesis, I have no idea what you are thinking right now."

"That's the problem. I'd love to explain it to you, but then I would have to get to the essence of the problem myself." With a sigh, Genesis planted his head onto his friend's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Do you feel betrayed?" It was a delicate question that could make Genesis throw a fit again, but Angeal really wanted to help him because he looked miserable. So Angeal took the chance.

And Genesis wanted to derisively snort 'No, why would I feel betrayed by someone like _Sephiroth_?', he really wanted to. But something kept him from it. Genesis pondered on the query for a moment, rummaging around in his memory when he had felt betrayed and if this feeling right now was similar to the feeling back then.

"I guess so."

"I see... And why would you feel that way, you think? Might that be because you have somewhat become friends?"

"It's more likely because he's only using me, but hell… if I knew, I'd tell you, 'Geal."

"How is he using you?" Angeal queried, not getting that train of thought. He started to feel like some kind of psychologist.

"I never told you?" Genesis looked up, his eyes round as saucers as he thought back. No, he had never told Angeal about Sephiroth's and his… almost-intercourse. Uh oh.

"Told me what?" Angeal narrowed his eyes, feeling lost but getting a bad feeling.

Breathing an embarrassed laugh, Genesis sat up, scratching the back of his head in an all too well-known attempt of hiding something. "Nothing, it's okay, forget that I said anything!"

"Genesis!" Angeal was starting to get irritated and threw his friend a strict look that told him in no uncertain terms that there was no way to weasel his way out of this. "You tell me right now or you can go whine to someone else! What have you done?"

"Hey, don't give me that look! I didn't do anything, he started it," Genesis retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a stubborn motion. "It's not like I wanted it in the first place, but he wouldn't stop so… well, I cannot claim I did not want it in the end, but that's not the point. He's a seductive little slut!"

Angeal couldn't say anything for a few seconds, because his jaw had dropped. He stared at Genesis open mouthed, trying to gather his thoughts. "You... you slept with him?" After all the complaining and bitching he had heard about Genesis' room mate that certainly came as a surprise.

"Are you nuts? As if I'd bend over for him like a needy little bitch, excuse me." Genesis stared at him just as horrified as Angeal was looking at him. Right now, the auburn haired man was just happy that they had never taken their relationship beyond some pleasurable fondling. After today it would have hurt even more.

"So you were only intimate?" Angeal's shoulders slumped a bit in relief. He shook his head; he didn't get his friend. One thing became clear to him though, but he would wait with that revelation. Maybe Genesis would get it himself.

"Yes, fortunately." The other answered slowly, yet his stance remained as defensive as before. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you… I guess it just… slipped my mind."

Angeal had no idea how something like _that _could slip someone's mind, but then they were talking Genesis here. "All right. Let me sum this up: You and Sephiroth got intimate, then you walk in on him having sex with someone else and now you are upset," Angeal paraphrased dryly. "And you have no idea what is wrong?"

Genesis' eyebrow arched dangerously. "You make it sound like I'm dumb or something." He stated, but looked at his friend with barely hidden curiosity.

"No, you are not dumb, just a bit slow sometimes, my dear. I think this case is solved. You - are jealous." Angeal crossed his arms over his chest, calmly looking at his friend.

"Slow? What the hell, Angeal?" Genesis asked, startled, before he stopped and just stared. "I'm what? Of who?"

Angeal refrained from giving him the 'duh' expression, but deliberately slowly explained, "You are jealous of whoever it was Sephiroth had intercourse with. I suspect that you do not want Sephiroth to get intimate with anyone else because you like him."

"I do _not_ like him." Genesis automatically replied and leaned his head to the side. "Think about it again." It was a demand, no request; it couldn't be that he liked Sephiroth. Who would like that jerk, except for those single-minded, dull little boys that thought of him as a god?

"All right then, so you don't like him and you still don't want him to have sex with anyone else. Satisfied?" Angeal was getting a headache. Genesis was so stubborn sometimes!

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Genesis replied petulantly. "Why would I want to interfere with his sex life? I shouldn't care at all, if I didn't like him. That's just not logical!"

"Well, you tell me, you are the one who is upset. You are making no sense and that is the most plausible explanation I can come up with," Angeal replied, deadpan.

Genesis averted his eyes and started picking at the blanket again, thoughtfully silent while he started rolling the thoughts in his head around. "You think, I'm just telling myself I don't like him?" He finally asked quietly.

"I honestly have no idea. Sometimes love and hate are very close together. What is it you hate about him?"

"I don't know… everything basically. His attitude, his fame, his superiority, his behavior…"

"Fine then, what do you like about him?"

"Hey, if I say I basically dislike everything about him, what's there left to like?" Genesis asked distractedly, but still making a mental list of all the things he liked about Sephiroth. He was quite surprised there were a few.

"There must be something. You don't get intimate with people you detest, unless you are a masochist." Angeal lifted a brow. Actually he wasn't sure if maybe Genesis wasn't a little masochistic at times.

The other merely shrugged. "Well, I like his looks of course, who wouldn't?" He answered honestly, because seriously… otherwise he would never have spared Sephiroth one glance.

"I didn't think you were that superficial." Disappointment was swinging in Angeal's voice. He got up to fetch a sweater from his chair, because he was feeling cold.

Raising his eyebrows, Genesis followed his friend with his gaze. "At least I think it's the only reason, the first time it definitely was because I had only known him for what… two hours?"

There was a light smacking sound as Angeal's palm met his forehead. "You are right, how dare I." He wasn't even sure if Genesis would get the sarcasm. "If that's all you like about him you shouldn't be upset. He will still be pretty when you go back and then you can do... whatever it is you do, without throwing a hissy fit."

"That doesn't solve the problem, Angeal, nor does you being sarcastic," Genesis pointed out and got rid of his boots before crossing his legs on his friend's bed. "It's not only because he's pretty, of course. I know he'll be even though Reno has laid his hands on him but… If I even think about this annoying red-head laying a finger on him…" He trailed off, his expression hardening with suppressed anger.

"What else would you call that than jealousy? You have claimed him as your property and you don't want anyone else to touch what's yours." Angeal wondered if Sephiroth had even a faint idea of what was going on here.

"Okay, good, I'm jealous then. How do I solve this problem now?" Genesis conceded while stretching out on Angeal's bed and observing him.

"How do you...well..." Angeal paused. He had to be careful here or he would be the creator of a disaster of epic proportions. "You could talk about it with him. See if you can make your relationship exclusive..."

"You make that sound as if I want him to be in a relationship with me…" Genesis pointed out suspiciously, rolling onto his stomach and leaning his head against his right hand.

"You don't?" the other retorted instantly. "Well then your only other option is to deal with it and suppress those feelings. But then you can't accuse him of anything, because it is actually his right to be with whomever he wants."

"But… hell, I do not want to hold hands with him and be all lovey dovey, I just don't want him to use me like that… Grabbing some other red-head when I'm not around, how rude is that?" Genesis answered angrily.

"You can always tell him that you want an exclusive... affair..." Angeal tried, doubtful. "Do you know how he feels about the whole incident?"

"He made quite clear, that I have no right to interfere with his sex life…" Genesis murmured, somewhat sad, before letting his head fall face first into the soft cushion.

"Well then you will have to deal with that. I do not see how you could meet half way, each of you has different expectations... I don't think he would understand why you are upset, you don't even understand it yourself, so you better just leave it alone." Angeal hoped that he would get through to Genesis and prevent any more drama... They had come here to become SOLDIERs and heroes, not to stumble into a soap opera.

"He does not understand why I am ups- …" Genesis trailed off, his brain obviously working up some kind of brilliant idea when he suddenly stopped midsentence. "That's it! That's the point. He doesn't understand how I feel, so I'll make him understand!" In an instant he had sat up on the bed, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Are you sure...?" Angeal asked carefully, frowning. He got a bad feeling.

"Of course I am sure." Genesis retorted, smiling at his best friend with newfound hope. "If he cannot understand how I feel, then I will _make _him understand how I feel."

"And how do you want to achieve that?" Something about Genesis' attitude told Angeal that this would extend a mere talk. Whenever Genesis got into a mischievous mood heads would roll...

A thoughtful expression flashed over the red-head's face, his white teeth nibbling at his bottom lip, while he contemplated the question. He had to mess around a little with somebody, who was dear to Sephiroth because he doubted that the other would care about Genesis fucking around. Which in return meant he had to choose the person he would have sex with carefully.

"Uh, I got it." He beamed brightly, getting up from the bed and giving Angeal a tight hug. "Thank you, Angeal. And see you later!" And then he was gone, rushing out the door that fell into its lock.

Angeal looked after him, even more worried now. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know how he had helped Genesis. Well, his friend was on his own now, he was no child anylonger and there was only so much Angeal could do... Rubbing over his forehead, Angeal sat down at his desk and tried to concentrate on his task.

* * *

He would do this, there was no way around it.

Back in their room, Genesis wasn't so sure anymore whether his plan was as awesome as he had first thought. Sephiroth was still gone, but Genesis didn't care. But the silver haired soldier had left his phone behind, an essential part of the red-head's plan. Yet, he hesitated, something in his chest aching at the thought of what he was about to do. Was it right to… strike back like that? Perhaps he would do even more damage to their… whatever they had, than Sephiroth had done.

Shaking his head, and willing the annoying thoughts away, he decided to not listen to his heart and do what that little evil devil on his shoulder told him. So he grabbed the silver-haired man's phone and searched for the right number.

The phone rang a few times and Genesis was just about to give up when finally someone picked up.

"Yes?"

"Hey." He piped up hastily, the strange feeling in his guts still distracting him. "This is Genesis."

"Yes, I remember. Hello Genesis... How are you doing?" The voice had gone a bit more sultry, interested.

The red-head paused at the sound of that voice before a grin spread over his lips and he leaned back on his bed. So he was obviously not the only one interested here. It pained him to use the other like this, but he doubted he would carry long-lasting damage from it.

"I'm okay, doing boring stuff and all." He grinned. "How about you? I hope you are doing alright."

"Well. It's boring stuff here too... Very boring. I'm bored out of my wits."

Genesis' eyes got that mischievous cast again. This was just turning out the way he had wanted it to.

"That makes two of us being completely bored. Care to change that?" He queried innocently.

"Absolutely. I am certain you can come up with something... fun to do." There was a heavy pause, full of seductive innuendo.

"To me it sounds like you already got some kind of idea in your pretty head." Genesis answered in a snicker.

"I have many ideas," the other purred, but then got down to business. "So, when and where?"

"Considering that we are bored at the moment, I'd say here and now." The red-head answered truthfully.

Again there was a short pause. "Fine. Give me 20 minutes. I assume you got condoms and lube ready?"

"I wouldn't be me, if I wasn't prepared, you know." Genesis answered before getting up and checking his appearance in the mirror. Oh, he would have to wash his face… His eyes were still red and somewhat puffy, a no-go. "You want me to pick you up at the gates?"

"No, I know the way and I have no problems entering the premises. They know me," was the lazy reply. "See you in a bit. Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you showered. Bye." The line was cut.

"Pff, he's just like his brother." Genesis drawled before shaking his head. "Always so pushy." Shrugging his shoulders, he grabbed his stuff to head for the showers, hoping for his own good that Sephiroth wasn't there anymore. And whoever tried to kick him out of those showers now, would die a slow and painful death.

Exactly twenty minutes later Genesis' guest wandered down the hallway, knocking at the door to Genesis' room. He was freshly showered, wearing a black shirt and black pants. Nothing fancy.

Said red-head had been occupied with his hair for the whole time after his shower. The knock on the door finally pulled him out of his ministrations and striding towards the door he figuratively gave himself a pad on the shoulder. Not only would he get laid, if he was lucky, as he assumed he was because Sephiroth had to come back in the near future, otherwise Genesis would just tell him that he had fucked his little brother. He would also make Sephiroth understand that he was nobody to mess with just like that. If Sephiroth wanted a war, he could have it.

"Hello," He greeted the younger man smoothly, holding the door open for him to get in.

"Hi. Let's save the small talk and get down to business. Oral and anal is fine. I got handcuffs and dildos if you are into that. No water sports, puking or whatever, that is weird. Why are you not undressed yet?" Yazoo tilted his head, his words one emotionless stream of routinized facts and instructions.

Raising his eyebrow, while closing the door, Genesis scrutinized Yazoo for a moment.

"You do notice that I am neither a whore, nor am I your customer, right?" He asked carefully. Not that he did not like the… weird kind of small talk the youth was ranting off here, but he felt something was terribly wrong.

"Are you assuming I am a whore?" Now it was Yazoo's turn to wryly lift a brow. "How much farther do you have to get until he is satisfied?"

"No, I am not assuming that, Yazoo." Genesis replied sternly. Yes, he was reckless for pulling this stunt, but he would not harm Yazoo. Sephiroth was the one that he wanted to get back at. "And who are you talking about?"

Yazoo's expression remained blank, impassive. He looked through the room slowly, turning in a circle. "My brother, of course. He told you to call me, to test me... this is getting really old." Yazoo gave a light snort. It was so damn sad that actually he had been bored enough to pretend to take the bait and come here for some superfluous drama and fighting, but really at home it had been even more bland...

"Ah, and what makes you think that?" Genesis asked dryly, crossing his arms in front of his chest and looking at Yazoo, who was wandering around the room. "I can make my own decision, without your brother telling me what to do. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true."

"Yeah... sure..." Yazoo didn't even listen but bent down to look under the bed, his long hair falling over his shoulder. It really was a pity because he'd so do Genesis, if his stupid brother wouldn't just always spoil the fun... "So, where is he? I'm getting bored of this, too."

"You didn't just look under the bed for him, did you?" The red-head asked incredulously, blinking at Yazoo with confusion and curiosity, idly wondering if Sephiroth had indeed done this in the past. "He's probably at … hey, I don't know and I don't care. The longer he's gone, the better. Perhaps he's doing the little red-headed Turk again." Genesis snorted, but his voice gave away the real anger he was feeling.

"He... what?" Yazoo blinked, the light annoyance wiped from his features.

"Perhaps he's doing the little, red-headed menace again, I said." Genesis repeated, sinking down on his bed, far away from the spot where he had previously found Sephiroth and Reno.

"..." Wordlessly Yazoo watched Genesis sit down, the wheels in his head turning. "All right. So I gather that he is not here. And this is no set-up?"

"Correct. See, now we are getting somewhere." The auburn haired man watched Yazoo watching him, seeing how he was trying to put the pieces of this puzzle together and Genesis knew that the silver-haired youth was smart enough to do it right.

"I see..." Slowly, a smirk spread over Yazoo's features. He wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what this was. Apparently Genesis was upset that his brother was boning someone else (Sephiroth boning _anyone _was a miracle already!). And now he wanted revenge, or relief or whatever, Yazoo didn't care. But he didn't mind a good fuck. "Sweet." His voice got sultry again, his lids drooping a bit. "I suggest we go with the original plan then."

"Okay, to get this straight. You now know why you are here, and… you don't think it's nasty?" Genesis asked carefully, his body shivering at that voice again. Yazoo just was a sensual creature, he had to give him that.

The boy shrugged. "I don't care. Besides, he deserves it." And Yazoo would get to extract some revenge, too. His eyes wandered up and down the gorgeous man, his still slightly wet hair, those long legs. This could be good...

At that, Genesis started to grin again. "I see I'm not the only one who wants to get some revenge here. And hey, we are having fun too, what more can we ask for?" He reached out for Yazoo, being just a little taller than the younger boy, his fingers traveling lightly over the silver-haired youth's sides.

Yazoo sat down, straddling Genesis' lap. The mattress was pretty hard on his knees, but it would probably do. Close up Genesis' skin looked even softer, whiter. Yazoo just sat there, feeling the man's warmth underneath, smelling his clean, freshly showered odor. He tilted his head, the smirk making place for a slightly pensive expression, as he got serious for a moment.

"He will really really hate you," he informed the redhead. No one could say he hadn't warned Genesis. Well, and Sephiroth would hate Yazoo too, but that was the whole point of it.

"He will really… _really_ hate you, too, but it doesn't seem you care enough to not do it." Genesis observed smugly, leaning up to nibble the milky white skin of Yazoo's long, pretty neck. "I wonder what he will be more angry about. You doing me or me doing you instead of him." He added with a light chuckle, wrapping his arms loosely around the smaller man's waist, his hands traveling under his shirt before they came into contact with warm, lively skin.

"It doesn't matter, he's just angry about everything," Yazoo snorted, shifting a bit and grinding their groins together as he leaned into the touch. Genesis' fingers were callused and a bit rough, but Yazoo liked that. He hated being treated delicately. Leaning down he let his own hands stroke through Genesis' red, feathery hair, striding it out of the man's face. He teasingly licked over Genesis' lips, pulling at them with his teeth. Well, Sephiroth would be angry at him- but Yazoo was family. The storm would be over eventually. Genesis on the other hand...

"True" The red-head sighed into the almost kiss. It stung a bit, yet it sent a delicious chill of excitement through his back towards his nether regions. His hand wandered upwards under the shirt, feeling Yazoo's spine, his ribs and eventually his shoulder blades. As they went, they moved the black piece of fabric up, signaling the youth to take it off.

"What do you expect from someone who's a walking complex," Yazoo muttered, gripping his shirt, stretching and pulling it over his head to cast it to the floor, uncaring. He tugged at Genesis' shirt demandingly too, while he finally claimed the man's lips in a rough kiss, penetrating Genesis' mouth with his agile tongue, challenging him.

Genesis complied, shrugging his shirt off, then thrusting his hands into Yazoo's silk tresses. "Watch the way you talk about your brother. He will most definitely know, even though he's not around." The auburn haired man grinned, his thumbs brushing over Yazoo's high cheekbones teasingly, before he pulled him in again for a passionate kiss, their tongues battling a war none of them could really win.

Yazoo sighed into the kiss, swirling his tongue, his hands gliding over Genesis' smooth chest. It was bandaged so Yazoo was more careful there. Injuries weren't uncommon for SOLDIERs. He withdrew from the kiss, brushing with his lips over Genesis' jaw while his hands wandered further down. "I wish he'd listen... He needs to lighten up."

"No need to tell me, I know that quite well." Genesis' breath hitched when Yazoo brushed over his damaged rib, but he found it did not hurt at all. Mostly thanks to the drugs. He nuzzled his nose against the other's smooth cheek, his hands gliding down to caress his nipples into hardness.

Yazoo leaned into the touch, unconsciously sucking his belly in because of the tingling that spread from his teased nipples down to his groin. His hands hand arrived at Genesis' pants and he opened the upper button, slipping inside to palm a half-solid organ. His lids dropping a bit he started to rub it slowly, stimulating it. This felt promising.

Genesis sighed at the sensation of a smooth hand touching his erection and it made him harden even more. Yazoo's agile fingers felt heavenly, so soft and warm, so different to those fingers that mostly touched him. He left the other's now rosy nipples when they were fully erected, stroking further down over those taut muscles and his belly, shortly dipping into Yazoo's belly button before traveling further down.

"You always go commando?" Yazoo asked, his thumb brushing over the naked flesh that pulsed against his hand. Genesis' touch felt nice, constantly building up tension within Yazoo. He pulled Genesis' cock out of his pants and stroked down the whole length, exposing a rosy, dewy tip and a long shaft.

The other moaned lowly in response, biting his bottom lip at the feeling before he suddenly changed their position. He was now hovering over Yazoo, who lay sprawled on his back, his silver hair fanning around his head like a vicious halo. Genesis grinned widely. "I knew what was about to happen so…" He trailed off at that, his hands moving behind Yazoo to cup his ass, grinding it up against his pelvis.

The silver haired youth gyrated his hips sensually, enjoying the contact. He smiled up at the man and wound an arm around his neck to draw him closer for another kiss. "Glad to see that you know what you want," he purred, pleased. More often than not he met guys who were all talk but actually freaked out when it got down to business... which might have something to do with his age.

Genesis licked the inside of Yazoo's mouth dominantly, smiling all the while before pulling away. "I wouldn't be me, if I didn't." He answered truthfully, his hands moving beneath the tiny fabric of Yazoo's trousers, kneading the firm buttocks in his hands, before one hand slipped to the front to open the button. He felt something nudge encouragingly against his hand as he did so and smirked even wider.

"Hm..." Yazoo moaned, lifting his hips up. He kept stroking Genesis' erection lazily. Goosebumps had started to rise on his skin and a pleasant warmth was spreading through his body. "Condoms. Lube," he muttered. They probably didn't have much time and he would hate to be interrupted before they were done...

Chuckling Genesis reached for the nightstand and rummaged around for a moment, leaning back over Yazoo and setting a condom and the lube down next to him. His teeth found Yazoo's delicate earlobe, nibbling at it and enjoying the small hitches in the younger's voice, while he opened those annoying trousers and peeled them off the other's lean body. A pleasurable tingling had settled in the pit of his stomach, fueled by the steady friction on his erection, which was leaking and twitching by now.

In one fluid motion he shed his own trousers and they joined Yazoo's abandoned ones on the floor. He sat up then, taking in the silverette's complete beauty before sighing happily and grabbing the lube.

Yazoo lifted himself up on his elbows, reaching for a condom and opening it carefully. He had to make sure that it was intact; he didn't want to catch anything and he had no idea how promiscuous Genesis was. He sat the condom atop Genesis' erection and rolled it down with practiced ease.

Genesis watched him idly and then shook his head. "I really do not want to know why you can do that." He stated firmly, lubing his fingers thoroughly before setting the lube aside. He smiled openly at Yazoo, while his fingers found their way to the youth's rosy entrance, teasing it gently before it twitched slightly with anticipation.

Since he was too distracted Yazoo refrained from arching a brow. "You'd rather defile an innocent virgin?" he smirked, holding his breath as Genesis entered him carefully, starting a slow, penetrating rhythm. Yazoo had been a good boy recently, so it had been a while and he felt pretty tight. Preparation had to be thorough, and Genesis seemed to think so too, as he added another finger.

"Considering your age… yes," Genesis stated flatly, then chuckling before leaning down and nuzzling his nose against the flawless skin along Yazoo's pelvis. His erection stood proudly up against his belly, yet the red-head knew it still had to develop its full length. Yazoo was but a boy, at least physically. Genesis scissored his fingers gently, indulging in the knowledge that the other seemed to slowly loosen up. When he hit his pleasure spot though, Yazoo's muscles convulsed suddenly and Genesis grinned.

Yazoo bit back a moan, his head lolling back at the sparks of tension that shot through him. He didn't feel like pointing out that that was a hypocritical thing of Genesis to say; after all, Genesis had called him here. It didn't matter anyway, because they were going to have fun and Yazoo just did it to help his brother. Despite his brilliance Sephiroth was a social imbecile and he needed a push into the right direction. Everyone else could see that he had a special relationship with Genesis but Sephiroth himself, and before his brother could ruin it, Yazoo would intervene. "How about you stop talking now and put your energy to some action?" he suggested breathlessly, pushing against the intruding fingers.

"Oh, am I not doing that already?" Genesis asked mockingly, his fingers stabbing in Yazoo's prostate with dead-on accuracy. He refrained from teasing the youth any further though. Who knew how long he would hold out, the glistening tip of his erection told a story of its own. The red-head added another finger, waiting for the younger to adjust before slowly stretching him.

"You ready?" He murmured afterwards, his breath puffing against Yazoo's weeping cock.

Yazoo nodded, briefly wondering what Genesis would do if he said 'no'. But that was just cruel and would have elongated his release, too.

Wordlessly, Genesis withdrew his fingers from within Yazoo, unable to prevent his tongue from at least briefly touching and tasting the other's pre-cum on the tip of his erection. He leaned over the silverette, nibbling on his neck before looking into Yazoo's green, cat-like eyes. He lined his hard-on up, his head teasing Yazoo's entrance faintly before slowly pushing in.

"That all you got?" Yazoo smirked, suddenly wrapping his legs around Genesis' hips to impale himself on the man's cock. Admittedly, it did hurt a bit, but he didn't mind; he wanted to feel it with all his senses and there was no joy without a little pain. He stilled, his arms drawn around Genesis' neck too and whispered into the redhead's ear, "Hm, you are quite big. Fill me more."

If Genesis had thought he possible couldn't get any harder, he had been wrong. At those words he thought he would burst with pent up desire and orgasm. "Shit…" he breathed out, closing his eyes for a moment, before a smirk reappeared on his lips. "Do you have to destroy my perverted fantasy of you being a virgin so harshly?" He asked mockingly, wriggling a bit against Yazoo's clenching insides. He was deliciously tight, snugly fitting around his cock.

"Not at all," the boy replied, his breathing fast and warm, as he summoned a coy attitude, biting his lips and looking at Genesis with huge, innocent eyes. "Genesis," he sobbed, wriggling a bit helplessly against the man, "You -uuuuh- feel s-so good!"

Sighing Genesis leaned down to capture Yazoo's nonsense spouting lips in a harsh kiss, his hands finding their home on his delicate hips as he slowly withdrew from inside the other, pushing in a little faster without any resistance. He set up a pleasuring, yet not too harsh pace, not really knowing what Yazoo was used to because he couldn't tell despite the boy's cocky attitude.

Yazoo sighed and began to meet Genesis' thrusts by gyrating his pelvis. The man's technique was good, he was experienced which was a nice change for once. His cheeks flushed a bit when Genesis hit his prostate again and a sincere moan escaped him that he didn't try to hide. He was a hedonist, after all. "Hm... like that..."

Grinning, Genesis aimed for the other's pleasure spot again, hitting it with a well-practiced accuracy. He moaned at the tight heat that was milking his cock into perfection so well, biting his bottom lip to keep his voice a little lower than normally.

Their movements became faster, more frantic, as they clung to each other's naked body. Genesis started to relentlessly pound into Yazoo and the boy encouraged him by matching his speed. Their moans were quiet, but heated and Yazoo felt his climax approach. His nails scratched over Genesis' back as he demanded another wet, deep kiss. "Coming," he warned, his voice low and rich with pleasure.

Reaching down to Yazoo's straining cock, Genesis stroke him into oblivion. "Then do," he demanded in a shaky, deep voice that showed how close he was as well. He wanted Yazoo to come now, penetrating the other's prostate and stroking his erection, his thumb flicking over the oversensitive, heated head.

And Yazoo complied, coming with a hiss, arching into Genesis. His muscles tensed as he was washed away by pure, excruciating pleasure that took over his senses and left him dizzy, happy and pretty much braindead. He didn't notice how he slumped back into the sheets, his body still weakly moving as he was basking in the afterglow.

Yazoo's orgasm took Genesis over the edge too. The clenching inside stimulated him and threw him into a pleasant sea of ecstasy. Little lights exploded in front of his eyes as the tingling ball in his belly erupted, his semen spurting into the condom. Sighing he collapsed onto Yazoo, barely holding himself up on his shivering arms, all of his muscles spasming while he was caught in his orgasm.

It took them both some time before they reached the surface of reality again. Genesis gently pulled out of the little silverette, who lay in what seemed like a blissful state of mind and threw the condom into the bin before he reached for Sephiroth's blanket to cover Yazoo with it. He appeared to be tired and Genesis had no intention of throwing him out so soon.

Yazoo snuggled against Genesis' warm body, sleepily noticing that he was even more beautiful after sex, with that bright shine in his eyes and that rosy color on his skin, his lips pouty and red. He'd rest for a bit but he had to go back, because he needed to arrange dinner, help Kadaj with his homework and hang up the laundry... He was already asleep before he finished thinking about the last task on his list.

* * *

Sephiroth approached his room in a much better mood. He'd been out, running, because that was a good way to clear his mind off things. After thinking about the incident with Genesis he had come to the conclusion that an apology was in order and that they would need to make up, since they were supposed to be living together for a while still.

All his good resolutions were blown away in an instance as he opened the door and found a completely outrageous scene before him.

"What. The..."

tbc?

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**Dun dun! More drama XD You think Genesis' actions were justified? Or was it too much?**

**Sadly since both of us are really busy atm, we won't be able to do review replies :( If you have questions though, I'll do my best to answer them via the internal review reply :)) But... what do you think about weekly updates from now on?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Gaaaah! I know I mumbled something about "weekly updates" before, but I barely have time to sleep, so that probably won't happen :( Anyway, this story will be finished, most definitely. Just be a little patient please!**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

The silver-haired youth had snuggled up against Genesis' naked chest during their peaceful sleep, the red-head having burrowing his nose into Yazoo's silky hair. They were still sound asleep, not noticing Sephiroth or the danger he was radiating.

The man didn't give them time to wake up and adjust to the situation. In the blink of an eye he was by the bed, gripping Yazoo's arm and brutally pulling him up to roughly shake him awake. With his free hand he grabbed Genesis' by the hair and dragged him out of bed. The used condom in the trash bin told Sephiroth all he needed to know.

"Get UP!"

Being so abruptly pulled out of his sleep, Genesis needed a few moments to fully awake, yet he instinctively went with Sephiroth's shaking grasps. "Get your fucking fingers out of my hair," he growled lowly, his previous drowsiness blown away like a butterfly in a hurricane.

Yazoo was equally surprised but instantly alarmed as he saw his brother's contorted face of... Well, he couldn't label it, because he had never seen it before and he got a feeling that maybe they had gone a _tiny_ little bit too far.

"Good morni-" he started, to pacify the situation but he was silenced by a resounding slap square across the face. His head flew to the side. Yazoo's ears started ringing and he felt warm blood flow from his split lip. At least Sephiroth had let go of Genesis. For now.

The red-head looked up in horror, not grasping the fact that Sephiroth had indeed… hit his younger brother. "Are you insane?" He asked, shocked, staring at the taller silver haired man with barely withheld consternation.

"That is my line," the other said, being strangely calm all of a sudden. Yazoo sat on the floor with furrowed brows, holding his aching face in shock. He'd never been hit before by his brother and his eyes were burning with tears but he refused to shed them. Sephiroth made a step towards Genesis.

"Any last words?"

"Whoa, calm down, would you?" Genesis said soberly, despite his erratically beating heart. Fear was bubbling up inside of him. It was that look in Sephiroth's eyes that told him that he was deadly serious… stressing 'deadly' here. Perhaps Genesis had taken this one step too far.

Sephiroth didn't reply but took another step, his fingers curled into a fist, knuckles turning white. He was in turmoil and he didn't know how to express it. He felt betrayed on multiple levels, disappointed, _furious_. "How _dare_ you," he said lowly, almost choking on the words.

Genesis in return bristled at that, crossing his arms in front of his chest while shooting Yazoo a worried glance every now and then. He did not answer this… well not question, but rather statement because he knew, whatever he said now would only add to Sephiroth's rage. And he really did not want to experience any more of it. Plus he got slightly uncomfortable with standing here completely naked, except for his bandages perhaps.

"ANSWER ME!" the man suddenly hollered, his hand shooting out to grab Genesis by the throat and squeeze. There was a sense of deja vu about the situation but he didn't care.

Yazoo finally got up from the floor on shaking legs. His ears were still ringing and he was dizzy, using the desk for support. Now this wasn't going as he had planned.

"You're… strangling me…" Genesis wheezed, trying to peel Sephiroth's fingers off his throat for they were really cutting his air supplies a little shorter than comfortable. Nothing that would really kill him but it was unpleasant nonetheless. He shot Yazoo another look, willing him to stay the fuck out of this because he felt like whatever Sephiroth might do to his little brother, he would deeply regret it afterwards.

The tension was palpable and even worsened when Sephiroth tightened his grip. He wasn't in control of his anger and he was about to kill Genesis, because he was the cause for all of his misery. "That's the point," he said lowly, narrowing his eyes, pressing his lips together and squeezing harder.

The red-head tried to gulp against the hand but it wasn't possible anymore. He did the only thing he could think of right now: Placing a good kick into Sephiroth's stomach with his knee. Gasping for air, he coughed faintly when that hand loosened up and he was able to rip it away. "Calm down, would you? I didn't kill him or anything!"

"No, you did worse, you _fucked _him!" Sephiroth held his stomach, bent over, but he glared daggers at the redhead through the long silver strands of hair that fell over his face. Yazoo thought that he better stay out of this for now, since he didn't get half of what they were saying anyways.

"So what? You fucked Reno, too." Genesis snapped back, inching away from Sephiroth to put a safe distance between them, before the silver-haired man could pull any more of those funny stunts.

Sephiroth was torn between jealousy and overprotective raging mode, but he eventually settled for the latter. "You fucking sicko, he is t_hirteen _and he is my goddamn brother!"

"I'm fourteen next a week," Yazoo piped up dizzily, because he had a point here, but Sephiroth just growled at him really frighteningly so he shut up.

Genesis tsked at that, inwardly not really knowing what to answer to that because seriously… Sephiroth was right. He had overstepped more than one border here, but he would not admit that now. "And?" He instead asked challengingly, even though he knew this was not the right way to approach the problem.

"... 'And'? He's a _child_! What he hell were you thinking? Not only that, as a friend I trusted you with family matters and this is how you exploited it! I have no words for how much you disgust me."

"Friend? Fuck toy would be more appropriate!" Genesis raged, storming over to his closet to retrieve some boxer shorts before turning around to face Sephiroth again. "And I have no words for how much_ you_ disgust _me_! Go and fuck some other red-head or whatever!"*

By now Sephiroth had himself under control again, enough at least to not rip Genesis' throat open. However, he felt it slipping, again. " Oh right, you are no friend, you are a pest. I'm so sick of your damn narcissism; you're not the center of attention for once and in your ridiculous jealousy you have to throw a fit like a child, taking everyone down with you until everybody is just as miserable!" Sephiroth had started to pick up Yazoo's clothes and threw them at his brother, hissing at him to get dressed.

"You were the one who started it," Genesis replied defensively, sitting down on his bed and watching the two brothers. "I am certainly not the only one being a self-centered prick, here."

Sephiroth didn't reply to that but pulled out his phone. Genesis wanted war and he could have it; Sephiroth would crush him. He wouldn't kill him though, because that was a sanction too light for the bastard. No. Sephiroth had other measures.

"Director Lazard?" he spoke into the phone. "This is Second Class Sephiroth. I request the immediate dismissal of SOLDIER Third Class Genesis Rhapsodos."

"You…", Genesis breathed out, his eyes becoming as round as saucers as he heard those words, those words he had been afraid of for the longest time he had messed with Sephiroth. "You can't!" He shrieked, immediately getting up from his bed and standing there, completely helpless, being forced to see his only dream being crushed by the person he had considered a friend before. He had just wanted Sephiroth to notice how Genesis had felt, how hurt he had been. He had wanted to make Sephiroth notice what… he had with Genesis and that nobody else could offer.

"On what grounds?" Lazard asked on the other end of the line, reaching for his glass of wine. He was in the middle of dinner and not really in the mood to deal with work stuff, but this was kind of... interesting. Only a few days prior Sephiroth had rescued that student and now he wanted him to be discharged?

"Lack of moral scruples. He is not suited to be a SOLDIER," Sephiroth replied cruelly, looking Genesis in the eye as he said so, though the redhead's crestfallen, utterly devastated look was not half as satisfactory as Sephiroth had thought it would be.

The red-head stubbornly withheld the tears that were welling up in his eyes. He wanted to make his gaze drip with hatred, but it wouldn't work. The only thing it expressed was the hopelessness that had suddenly eaten a large black hole through his thoughts and heart. He felt Yazoo shuffle beside him, felt him lightly touch his shoulder with those fingers that had pleasured him only hours before. How could he have thrown it all away for… revenge? Something so animalistic and raw… it had not been worth it, not at all.

On the other end of the line, Lazard lifted a brow. Those were serious allegations. Moral was very important; they couldn't let their killing machines run wild, they had to be bound by strict codes so they could be controlled.

"What exactly is it that he did?"

Sephiroth's jaw tightened, and again he gripped Yazoo by he shoulder to pull him away from Genesis. "He instigated sexual intercourse with my 13 year old brother."

"I liked it, and I'm almost 14 by the way!" Yazoo said loudly so Lazard would hear it and frostily looked at his brother who was close to giving him another slap.

Lazard lifted a brow, not able to hide the smile that was forming on his lips. "Well, if that is so... I am sorry but I cannot see any harm being done, Sephiroth." He admired the young man's protectiveness, but that really was no reason to fire Genesis. Besides, Lazard thought that Genesis was a great addition to their troops, if only because he managed to get Sephiroth out of his shell. Things had become more lively. "I understand your concern and agitation, but please see this as a challenge. Overcome it. Good night."

Sephiroth took the phone from his ear and stared at it speechlessly for a few seconds.

Having not caught all words of the conversation, Genesis was still anxious about the outcome of it, but judging by the expression on Sephiroth's face, Lazard hadn't really done what he had wanted him to do. He didn't dare to speak up anymore, feeling a strange mix of fear and anger inside of him.

"Aww, poor Sephi-poo didn't get his way," Yazoo mocked, clever enough to get out of range before he said so. Sephiroth threw him a look that said 'we are far from being done yet'.

"You didn't…", the auburn haired boy started, but trailed off eventually. Then he dropped onto his bed and breathed out heavily, yet moments later anger bubbled up inside of him. "You really dared to try that." He stated between gritted teeth. "You really… I can't believe it…"

"You should believe it." Sephiroth turned towards his brother. "Get dressed already. We are leaving." There was no way he would be staying here tonight. They would get home, because there was a LOT they would have to 'discuss'.

Reluctantly, Yazoo put on his clothes, throwing Genesis another quick look, but he didn't say anything anymore. He was on his own now and this was going to be a long night. Genesis let them leave. There was no use in starting another pointless argument with Sephiroth now, but he did throw Yazoo a pitiful and the taller brother a warning look, growling a low threat to not hurt Yazoo again. He hoped Sephiroth would stick to it. Despite all the trouble their… whatevership was currently going through, it did not have to necessarily influence Sephiroth's family life.

Sephiroth's plans for some much needed distance were thwarted however, because at the gates of the Shinra quarters Tseng was waiting, next to a cab. Since Sephiroth was under observation he was not allowed to leave the premises and Reno had called the head Turk to inform him about the problems that had arisen. Sephiroth would have opposed Reno's orders, but he couldn't get past Tseng.

Grudgingly he had to let go of Yazoo who was sent home in the cab. To calm himself somewhat Sephiroth went for a three hour walk, trying to think as little of the incident as possible, and then slipped back into his room after midnight. Genesis had already gone to bed, angered and hurt, rolling up into a small ball and cuddling with the blanket he had stolen from Sephiroth, since his own was still missing. The other's smell lingered around him, infiltrating his senses and obscuring his reality, but he shook his head and stubbornly fell asleep.

He did not hear Sephiroth enter their room that night anymore, his back turned to the other's bed and his sleep deep enough to not be disturbed.

The following week was quiet. Nothing happened besides regular training and classes; no missions had been scheduled and no suspicious actions took place. Sephiroth got the weekend off, which was a good thing because he needed a break. Things between him and Genesis were still bad, or rather: they kept ignoring each other. Sephiroth had not forgiven him, at all, and being forced to live together made life pretty uncomfortable.

Shaking the thought off, Sephiroth stretched in his chair on the balcony, finishing his glass of orange juice.

In the kitchen Loz hectically cooked for the guests that would be arriving soon and Kadaj enthusiastically decorated the living room. Yazoo was still in the shower. Actually Sephiroth had considered denying him his birthday party as punishment but then he didn't have the nerve to deal with three sulky brats on his weekend off. Besides, there had been a lot of other punishment. It was still a mystery to Sephiroth what had moved Yazoo to sleep with Genesis, but the boy just kept giving him cryptic looks and stubborn silence.

Sephiroth was at his wit's end.

At first Genesis had thought about denying Yazoo his wish to show up at his birthday party, because he really did not feel the need to see Sephiroth on his Sephiroth-free weekend. They had not spoken for an entire week, no words, nothing, which was quite astonishing given that they lived, trained and worked together most of the time. But they had been both too stubborn to ask or say even one word to the other, avoiding each other like a pest, and in all honesty, Genesis was fed up with it already. Yet a whole weekend without the silver-haired soldier sounded like a haven of peace and quiet.

Yazoo's big, begging eyes – not taken literally, he had just asked very innocently over the phone – had destroyed this dream like a fragile bubble. The red-head did not know why the youth wanted to have him around on his birthday, after all the trouble he had caused him, but admittedly it was easier like this for everyone. Genesis suspected some Turk to show up as well, since he and Sephiroth were still under observation. He was quite surprised to find that nobody would lurk around the other's house for the entire time of him being there. But perhaps Tseng had sent somebody anyways.

Sighing, Genesis put on a light jacket and grabbed the present he had gotten for Yazoo.

The party was going pretty well, Sephiroth thought, sipping at his apple juice as he leaned by the kitchen counter. He'd successfully glared every potential mate for his brother away, mentioning castration and torn limbs when Yazoo couldn't hear it and now they kept a very respectful distance from the youth. Kadaj was having the time of his life, eating cake and engaging the guests in pointless banter. Some light music was playing, there was cake and food and a table with presents. Loz, Yazoo and their friends were playing some kind of board game that was apparently fun because there was laughter and teasing. Sephiroth put his glass in the sink and thought that he should work on that report he had taken home with him, when the door bell rang.

Okay, so now here Genesis was, nervous like a school boy who had to go to the principal because he had done something really bad. Shaking the uneasy feeling off, Genesis told himself that it wouldn't be as horrific as he thought. He had been invited, after all!

Waiting in front of the door, he glanced around, finding that whoever had chosen this house, had good taste.

"I'm getting the door," Sephiroth lazily announced. Not that anyone was really listening; they expected him to do it anyways. Today he was their lackey... Only Yazoo looked up briefly, smirking to himself, but Sephiroth didn't see it.

The man went into the hallway, where the kids' noises were blissfully dulled, and sighed. Somehow his weekend wasn't as relaxing as he had thought, but that wasn't the boys' fault. He just felt restless.

"Welcome. The party's in the living room, you can put your present on the table, if you touch my brother inappropriately I will crush your balls. Any questions?"

"Always so eloquent." Genesis sighed, noticing that he was not really spoken to, at least Sephiroth did not seem to notice who was standing in front of him. "Are you threatening all of his guests like that?" He asked, cocking his head to the side in a questioning, yet teasing manner.

Indeed Sephiroth had just routinely recited his standard welcome, not really paying attention to who their visitor was. As soon as he recognized Genesis all expression was drained from his features and he just stood there, perplexed. His fingers around the doorknob twitched to just shut the door into the man's face. "What are you doing here?"

"Hm, a good question. Considering that I am carrying a present with me and it's your brother's birthday, I assume that I am in fact visiting his birthday party." Genesis rolled his eyes in a 'duh' manner. Really, it was just silly to ask that question even though he had it coming. "And before you ask, I was invited by Yazoo."

"I am uninviting you no-"

"GenGen!"

Before Sephiroth could finish his rude reply a swirl of silver came flying at the redhead and then Kadaj was all over him. His cheeks glowed with unbridled enthusiasm and joy to see the man. He grabbed Genesis' hand and pulled him inside. "Come on, you're the last one, I wanna see the presents already!"

Sephiroth looked after them, defeated, let go of the door and it fell closed with a dry click. Damn traitorous runts. It seemed everyone conspired against him.

In the blink of an eye, Genesis was dragged through what seemed to be the whole house, into the living room, where he was greeted by colorful decoration, cake and various kinds of teenagers scrambling around and making an enormous amount of noise. An ordinary birthday party, alright. Spotting Yazoo, who had turned away from the game he had been playing to get his present, he smiled at the bright expression he was wearing. He hadn't really seen Yazoo this relaxed before.

"Ow, Kadaj, watch out, you're dislocating my arm," Genesis laughed at the smallest's euphoria.

"I'm glad you could come." Yazoo got up from his seat to greet the new guest with a hug that was deliberately longer than necessary. He met Sephiroth's angry gaze over Genesis' should but ignored it. "Just throw your stuff somewhere. We're playing a game, you can join." Various curious eyes looked the beautiful redhead up and down and there were a few muffled whispers, as to who this could be.

Genesis nodded solemnly, before turning and shrugging his jacket off. He laid it over the nearest chair and went to put his presents onto the table where all the others lay. He couldn't believe it. He was being checked out by … what? Thirteen-year-olds? What the hell?

"This is Genesis. He is my friend. Play nice." Yazoo's introduction only sounded casual on the surface; underneath he was communicating a code only they could understand, namely to keep their hands off of Genesis. There were some muttered, "Hi Genesis" and a few grins.

Loz just came out of the kitchen, grinning at Genesis. "You hungry? There's food in the kitchen, make yourself at home!"

"Hey, everyone," Genesis waved, a little unsure of what to do, so it was nice to have Loz giving him an excuse to go to the kitchen and retrieve a piece of cake. He returned to find everybody waiting for him to join their game, and so he did, trying to ignore the fact that those children were far from normal.

Sephiroth had enough of this farce. Thus he walked up to their group of hormonal teens and one vicious backstabbers to grab the latter by the arm. "Genesis, if you may have a moment." It wasn't a question and Sephiroth hated that he had to break the silence between them, but he wouldn't have this.

"Sure…" The other answered flatly, hating how his insides started to flutter at the unexpected touch, cursing his body to still react so violently to Sephiroth. He followed the taller man to somewhere more secluded – the kitchen, that was – and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What is it?"

"I want you to leave," Sephiroth stated bluntly. He didn't like seeing Genesis here, in this group with horny teens... and not in general anyways. "I did not know you were invited, obviously, as I would never have approved. I ask you to go discreetly."

"Why, if everybody is happy to see me? And with everybody I mean your family," Genesis asked in return, his stance turning to defensive. He hadn't wanted to come here, but having Sephiroth tell him to leave made the whole idea of being here far more alluring.

"I am not happy to see you," Sephiroth retorted and the moment he said it he realized that that was not the whole truth. He was just not happy to see Genesis under these circumstances, with the issues they had. It was tiring him.

Somewhere in his chest, Genesis' heart clenched at the words. "And I don't care about it. As long as Yazoo is not telling me to leave, I will not do so."

"While I see why you would be attracted to being in a room full of gullible, horny thirteen year olds, I won't let you have your way again."

"Oh, good, remind me why life was so awesome _without_ you." Genesis spat angrily, not only hurt by those words but deeply humiliated. "Now, can you stop being an unreasonable brat and let me get back to people who actually _like_ me?"

"Everything all right in here?" Yazoo leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. "It's your turn Gen, the others are waiting. I'll help Seph clean up here, you go ahead."

Wordlessly Genesis turned around, but not before he had thrown a wrathful glance at Sephiroth one last time. He went back into the living room, putting on his best façade of happiness, but never forgetting what the other had thrown into his face so rudely.

"What's that all about? You are fourteen now but I see you have not become any wiser." Sephiroth's words were clipped and not amused as he watched Yazoo walk into the kitchen. "What were you thinking inviting him? You want to pick another fight with me?"

"No," Yazoo answered simply, but truthfully. "I did it because I finally want you to open your eyes." He started collecting the used dishes and put them into the dishwasher in a futile attempt to reign over the chaos that had conquered most of the kitchen.

"Open my eyes to what," Sephiroth sneered, not taking his little brother seriously. This discussion was way too much already, he just wanted Genesis to leave, but he couldn't start a fight with all the guests in the next room and Yazoo knew that. It was a brilliant move to trap him like this, but Sephiroth did not appreciate it.

"Open your eyes to see that you are not angry with him because you are overprotective of me." Yazoo turned around at that, his gaze cool and collected. "Open your eyes to the real emotions that made you react like you did."

"And what would those be," Sephiroth replied from above, crossing his arms over his chest in an unconsciously defensive manner. He didn't let it on, but he was startled.

"You are jealous. It's as simple as that. As jealous as Genesis was when you slept with that other red-head." Sighing Yazoo looked at his brother, an emotion close to pity reflecting in his eyes.

Sephiroth was profoundly taken aback by that bold accusation. So much so, that he was speechless for a moment. "I'm... I'm not jealous! Why would I be jealous?" he finally blurted, feeling way out of his comfort zone. Well, Genesis being... envious he had kind of suspected. But the whole 'jealousy' thing implied emotional attachment, and that was a concept pretty alien to Sephiroth. He didn't think he had ever been jealous before, so it was hard to compare the feelings he had now to former experiences...

Yazoo's hand almost made contact with his forehead, almost. Heaving a deep sigh and pondering on how he could possibly explain to his brother all the reasons of encountering jealousy, he settled for the most simple answer. "Because you did not want him to sleep with anyone else but yourself." He offered.

"I didn't want him to sleep with y_ou_" Sephiroth pointed out gravely. The fact that his brotherly protectiveness and that other negative feeling he had felt at seeing them and that he hadn't bothered labeling mingled wasn't making things easier.

"You never threatened to kill – and almost did if I may add – the others I slept with." Yazoo stated knowingly. "And I haven't seen you as… hurt before."

"Oh, threatening them with castration was sufficient," Sephiroth muttered, leaning against the kitchen counter. His mind was reeling, trying to make sense of this. All right, so if he didn't want Genesis to sleep with someone else...- that wasn't that much of a big deal he decided. "Fine then, I will just tell him to stop sleeping with other people."

His brother laughed softly at that before regaining his cool, aloof appearance. "And how do you want to justify your decision, when he asks why he should stop sleeping with other people?"

"I will tell him that I dislike it," Sephiroth replied blank-faced, then started to put the dishes away into the dish washer. Thank the goddes for that device...

Yazoo frowned at that. His brother was viewing this whole situation from his completely antisocial point of view. "I don't think he will take that as a sufficient reason, brother. You have known him for quite some time and I don't think he'll… do as you please just because you dislike his actions."* He said, helping Sephiroth with the dishes.

"Why not?" Sephiroth asked, clueless, because pretty much everyone else did whatever he wanted. Then again they were talking Genesis here, and the man just loved to annoy the crap out of him by refusing any request Sephiroth made... "Well, what is the proper protocol then?"

Groaning lightly, Yazoo asked himself how his brother had survived life until now. "There is no 'proper protocol' with something like this, Seph. You can't tell people to stop having sex just because you feel like it. Perhaps you should talk to Genesis about it, even though I think it would only escalate, given the fact that you two are stubborn as hell. But you can always start with yourself. If you don't want to have Genesis fucking around, then do not fuck around yourself." All right, even level-headed Yazoo could get annoyed, especially when being faced with his big brother's social shortcomings.

"There is no need to get cranky." Sephiroth closed the dish washer and set the program. Laughter was coming from the living room. He hadn't thought that he would ever hear the words 'don't fuck around' from his little brother, of all people. "I will handle this." Somehow, he added in thought.

Allowing himself a small smile, Yazoo encouragingly nudged his brother's arm before returning to the living room, and his party. How did he end up having to deal with Sephiroth's love life on his fourteenth birthday?

Sephiroth followed a few minutes later. It would be suspicious if he asked Genesis for another talk so soon and he didn't want to disrupt the party again. This was Yazoo's birthday and his own issues had to wait.

It was late in the evening when the guests started to leave and eventually Genesis got up too, announcing that it was time for him to go. Sephiroth, who'd been working in the bedroom but left the door open a bit so he could have an eye on what was going on in the living room, came out. "I will walk you downstairs," he said, calmly.

Genesis had actually forgotten that Sephiroth was even there, because he had never approached him that day again. He jumped a little at the other's voice, his head turning to face him in a motion of pure surprise before he thought better of it, turning towards the other three brothers and hugging them goodbye. Kadaj clung to him for some time, sputtering over what they would do the next time they would meet and Genesis couldn't suppress the soft smile that was forming on his lips. Upon hugging Yazoo, he whispered a "Thanks for inviting me, Yazoo. I appreciate it" into his ear. Only then he turned to leave, his jacket swung over his shoulder, almost dreading what Sephiroth wanted from him. And he was sure the other would want something.

As they walked down the stairs, Sephiroth got right to the point. Uncomfortable silence and avoiding a fight were not his things.

"I request that you stop having sex with other people."

tbc?

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**Dun dun! Seph dropped the bomb - what will Genesis reaction be? Find out next chapter :D And as always, reviews and feedback is most welcome!**


	16. Chapter 16

**New chapter! Have a fantastic weekend everyone!**

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Chapter 16

The red-head turned at that, blinking up to Sephiroth in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"I ask you to not sleep with other people anymore. Especially my brother. It makes me uncomfortable. I have been told that I cannot simply request such a thing, so I am offering something in return. Then it will be a win-win situation for the both of us. A truce if you will."

Genesis cocked his head to the side, eyeing the silverette warily. "I don't see the win for me so far." He pointed out calmly, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a somewhat defensive manner. Sephiroth made it sound like he was doing nothing else but fucking around.

"That is why I am offering something in return," Sephiroth replied carefully. If Genesis' body language was any indication this wasn't going very well and diametral to how Sephiroth had planned this conversation to go... "Tell me what you want, and if it is reasonable we have a deal."

"First, let me get this straight. You want me to stop sleeping with other people… Doesn't it sound slightly ridiculous to you that I should live a life of abstinence just because you feel strange about it?" Genesis questioned, his eyebrow rising further the more he spoke.

"No one said anything about you being abstinent. You can sleep with me," Sephiroth specified in that calm, unfazed manner of his.

There was a moment of utter silence in which Genesis simply stared at the man in front of him before chuckling softly. "So, to be clear… you want me to be exclusive to you? No way if you can still screw whoever you want. Exclusiveness is a two way street."

Exclusive... "If you want to phrase it that way." Sephiroth started to walk the stairs again, pleased that Genesis hadn't outright rejected his offer. "I don't see why this would be a problem."

"You do notice that this means you will never ever do that potty-mouthed red-headed Turk again, do you?" Genesis asked suspiciously, staying put where he was but looking after Sephiroth.

"Of course. It also means that you keep your hands off my brother." Sephiroth lifted a brow as he turned his head, pausing for Genesis to catch up.

Genesis shrugged at that. "Just saying," was the only thing he answered to that before he followed Sephiroth out. A strange mix of comfortable and uncomfortable silence settled over them while they walked.

"I am glad we solved that issue," Sephiroth finally said as they stood in front of the apartment complex. He meant it. "I will see you on Monday then."

The auburn haired man inclined his head in a hint of a nod, but the smile on his lips told another story. This was exactly what he had wanted to achieve, or at least what Angeal had advised him to do. He did not know who he had to thank for it, but he intended to call a certain silver haired birthday boy once he got home. Or at least send him a text message. "Yeah, see you."

With that he turned, putting on his jacket while he walked, contented with himself and the world for once.

* * *

The next Monday they were on a mission, together with another team Angeal was also part of. They headed the truck early and drove about two hours out of the city to a small town Sephiroth didn't bother to learn the name of. In the mission report it had been stated that the townsfolk was pestered by monsters. As soon as they arrived they were greeted by upset towns people gathering around them, almost dragging them to the scene. A few houses had been destroyed and there also had been casualties. They told the people to stay in their houses and headed to the fields, where the monster attack was taking place. Upon their arrival however they were a bit stymied.

"... Seriously?" Sephiroth stated with a blank expression, his sword dropping as they watched their enemies raging through the corn fields, destroying the harvest with loud, excited screams.

The ShinRa Soldiers were looking at a vast field full of evil, hungry… yellow Chocobos.

"Don't tell me we have to slay them." Genesis said in a whiny voise, watching a mother Chocobo nudging her chicken almost lovingly. "They are so _cute_!" He suddenly announced with big dreamy eyes, his soft side for any kind of animal showing, even though he had suppressed it ever since he had left Banora.

Angeal next to him merely sighed. "How can a horde of Chocobos do so much damage? And how did they get here? This area is not exactly known for this kind of animal." He also opposed the thought of calling them enemies, because seriously. They were only fluffy, yellow Chocobos.

"Well... I suggest we speak with the major. If they have a stable nearby we can drive the chocobos in there. It would also compensate the villagers for the economical damage done," Sephiroth suggested, rolling his eyes at Genesis' lovey dovey look, but also smiling at it a bit. Chocobos were valuable goods, breeding them would give the villagers some money for their destroyed houses. He wondered how the birds could possibly have killed anyone...

"Uh, I wanna take one home…" Genesis snickered, while surveying the area the Chocobos were currently feasting on. "How about you go and inform the major, while I have a look at the cutie pies here?" He sheathed his sword meanwhile, mentally indulging in the thought of this being a too-easy mission again. How he loved it, but sometimes a little combat action would be nice, too.

"There has to be something else here, apart from Chocobos. They would never be able to kill human beings, even when vexed." Angeal suddenly objected, closely looking around for any indication of some other beast being around.

"You keep an eye on things, I will be right back." Sephiroth left, while Angeal still cluelessly stared at the Chocobos before he and his partner warily secured the surroundings. There really was nothing but Chocobos. A short time after Sephiroth was back, instructing them on where to bring the birds. "Let's get this over with. The towns people seemed pretty enthused, they are preparing a feast for us," Sephiroth sighed and then marched up to the birds, who eyed him coolly and started screaming as they felt threatened by his presence.

"I hope they are not planning on grilling Chocobos for us." Genesis instantly retorted, walking some steps beside Sephiroth to keep the birds from bolting. They actually did not seem to be irritated by his presence in the least, most of them eyed him curiously, one of them even sniffing him and then cuddling its feathery head against him. "They like me!" He exclaimed delightedly, looking over to Sephiroth only to have a small chuckle building up in his throat. "And they certainly do not like you."

It was obvious that Sephiroth did have an intimidating aura around him for the Chocobos were trying to escape him as best as they could, some of them even snatching into his direction.

"Can you stop playing around and actually help me get those beasts into the stable?!" Sephiroth breathed, his arms wide spread as he ushered the upset animals towards the direction he wanted them to go to. He wouldn't have minded Chocobo steak at all... A

ngeal and his partner were only semi successful too, because apparently the Chocobos were quite happy where they were and had no intention on cooperating with the despairing SOLDIERs.

A tsking sound left the red-head's mouth before he whistled softly to the birds having gathered around him, directing them the way they had to go and voila, there they went. Right into the stable. "And now tell me again that I'm just playing around." He grinned widely, doing the same thing with the next ones.

Sephiroth watched, a bit dumbfounded, and then sighed. His own chocobos were much more difficult, but he got them in the stable eventually. It was a horde of 7 birds, including two little ones that would be even easier to train for races.

Angeal leaned at the stable watching the two of them interact, a faint smile on his lips. It was good to see them getting along; the tension around them had eased remarkably. He also was proud of Genesis for having solved the issue his way. "Now, let's go to the festival, shall we? I am starving."

Petting one of the smaller birds almost lovingly, Genesis also left the stable, quite sad to leave the birds behind for whatever the townspeople had planned for them but then he reminded himself that he also liked a steak or other kind of meat every now and then. No time to be a hypocrite here. "I could use some food as well. The drive here was far more exhausting than this 'mission'." His fingers were doing quotes in the air. Genesis couldn't help grinning as they walked back into town. The guy that had come along with them, Angeal's partner, had been oddly quiet until now, probably because the Great Sephiroth was around.

They were welcomed by a cheerful crowd that had quickly set up tables in the middle of the market place. They had brought their fruits, vegetables, succulent roasted meat and warm, fresh bread. It was a feast indeed and they were cheerful and praised the SOLDIERs, talking about how wonderful they had handled the 'monsters'. They were arguing a bit what they were supposed to do with them and looked oddly at Sephiroth as he told them to breed and sell them.

The major laughed. "Haha, you young folks sure have strange ideas. What would we want with more monsters? But are you sure the stable will hold them?" he still looked a bit worried.

"Yes, the problem has being taken care off. And it is not that unusal to breed chocobos and sell them..." There was an awkward silence, as the major asked, carefully, "Chocobos?"

It was then that the party was interrupted by screams, as a young man stumbled towards them from the field, covered in blood. "They came back!"

Angeal almost chocked on his water upon hearing it, while Genesis struggled to gulp down the bread he had just eaten.

"All there was on the field was a pack of Chocobos…" He said, getting up from his seat and unsheathing his weapon. The young man was immediately surrounded by his fellow people, but the four soldiers pushed past them. There were long, bloody slashes on his chest, arms and legs. Definitely claws, and not the ones of a Chocobo.

"What exactly has attacked you?" Angeal asked in that knowing tone of his, while Genesis just looked at him in confusion.

"D-Dragon!" the man replied weakly, looking as if he was about to pass out from blood loss and fear. There was a panicked screaming among the crowd, but Sephiroth stood up.

"People! Calm down! You will be going into your houses now and stay there. We will take care of this."

Luckily, they listened, because Sephiroth's name had spread outside Midgar too. There were a few growls that doubted their competence, since they had 'failed' the first time, but nonetheless everyone followed the order. "Let's go," Sephiroth said sharply to the others. A loud growl could be heard from outside the town and something came crushing, leaving a large cloud of dust.

"I really don't like the sound of this." Genesis said warily, his sword ready to strike when they approached the source of the noises. The man's bloody traces ended here, too. "It's most likely not only one dragon." Angeal said, slowly reaching for his sword as well, as the dust finally settled. What they faced was nothing they had expected in the least.

There was a crowd of three huge behemoths attacking the village. They must have come from the nearby forests, but Sephiroth didn't get why they were attacking humans. There was plenty of easier food. Though they looked frightening they were animals still and they would not attack humans unless they were provoked or desperate with hunger... The chocobos indicated that there was more than enough food.

Sephiroth gripped his sword tightly. "We have to go all out on them this time. Don't try to catch them, kill them."

The other three nodded dutifully, while gripping their weapons tightly. They gave each other another look and Genesis was the first to dash forward, functioning as a distraction for he was rather small, agile and fast and could escape their attacks easier than the rest of them.

The behemoths roared loudly as they came closer, noticing his aggressive stance and instantly lashing out with their huge pranks and sharp claws. He dodged the first few easily, only one catching him off guard. He had to roll to the side to avoid it but got up quickly again. They were definitely distracted now.

Sephiroth, Angeal and the other guy followed suit, using the opening to get close and land a few hits. Sephiroth cast a fire materia that had one of the monsters crash into the ground, dizzy and injured. Angeal went after it, but the wounded beast was ferocious and wouldn't go down without a fight. He dodged a few frantic hits as the beast tried to desperately kill him before it would die from the severe wound Sephiroth had inflicted on him. Mercilessly Angeal ran his sword through its already burned and bloodied body with practised ease, even though its armor was quite heavy. The behemoth roared one last time, a gurgling sound leaving its sliced throat before it crashed to the ground and remained there motionlessly.

"Angeal, dodge!" He heard Genesis call over to him, instinctively doing so and barely missing the claw, which had been aiming at his head.

With one beast down and two to go it was easier to keep an eye on them. Still they were tough opponents. On the other hand, Angeal and Genesis were both on top of their classes and they proved it now by acting level-headed and quickly so that Sephiroth didn't need to be worried about them. Their third companion was a different story...

Masamune cut through the air and the hard flesh of a beast's claw and a loud, pained roar followed. Angeal and Genesis were taking on the other dragon that was retreating, being pushed into a defensive stance. The fight was thrilling and Sephiroth could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he danced around the monster, cutting it, using more and more openings to finally stab it in the heart and make it fall heavily onto the ground where it twitched one last time before being still.

Genesis meanwhile distracted the monster with swift moves and flips, landing one or two hits. But he wasn't here to kill the behemoth, he still was helping to offer Angeal a good opening that would bring the behemoth crashing down. And they succeeded.

While furiously slashing at the agile red-head and barely missing him from time to time, the beast grew more and more angry and therefor reckless. In the blink of an eye, Angeal leaped into the air, his sword raised above him and only seconds later, it came crashing onto the behemoths head, destroying what armour he might have had there before and successfully splitting its skull in half. One last twitch and it became still on the ground, the blood gushing from the fatal wound onto the soil.

With the three beasts dead they met in front of the giant corpses, panting and bloody, but alive and mostly unharmed. They reeked of foul blood, sweat and guts, but neither of them cared.

The villagers came out of their houses, keeping their distance but staring at them in awe as they went back to the market place. "I propose we leave now," Sephiroth said. The fight had tired them out and they had to check with the doctors to be sure that there was no poisoning or injuries they didn't notice because of the post-battle euphoria.

The others merely nodded, securing their weapons back to where they belonged and trying to get rid of the blood splatters in their faces. At least that was what Genesis tried to do, even though his scrubbing made it look a lot worse than before.

"I really want to get out of these clothes." He sighed only moments later as they subtly tried to escape the overly thankful townspeople that wanted to keep them there for a while longer.*

"Hm, a hot shower sounds very tempting," Angeal added, as they pushed past the people to get to their truck. Eventually they were able to leave but not before they had loaded half the vehicle with presents and food. The clean-up commando would take care of the corpses they had left behind.

"Let's have a party!" the guy who had come with them piped up from somewhere in the background. Sephiroth had almost forgotten about him and didn't honestly think that the guy had contributed significantly to their win, but he nodded anyway, a light, satisfied smile playing around his lips.

Genesis chuckled at that, leaning back and sighing deeply. All he wanted was to rinse off the dirt he was covered in and then… well a party did sound good. "Count me in." He finally said with a grin spreading over his lips.

Angeal shrugged, but nodded anyways. The fight had been quick, but tiring nevertheless and he had never fought a behemoth before. So… a party to celebrate that they had indeed beat them - why not?

The ride home seemed to take even longer than the previous ride and by the time they arrived back at the barracks, Genesis had fallen asleep, even though the truck was shaking like hell.

When they stopped at the parking lot Angeal was busy carrying his own sleepy colleague. Thus it was up to Sephiroth to deal with Genesis. Despite all the blood covering him Genesis did look peaceful what with his being snuggled up against a sac of potatoes the villagers had forced them to take.

"We're back," Sephiroth muttered, shaking the redhead by the shoulder lightly. The sun was slowly going down, illuminating everything in a softly glowing orange and it just looked so...

Mumbling softly the red-head sleepily opened one eye after the other, blinking while he tried to take his surroundings in. Yawning widely, he stretched his body before gracing Sephiroth with his attention.

"Finally!" He beamed happily, getting up from his seat, just a little too fast as black dots danced across his vision. Shaking his head, he looked outside. The sun was setting and it was past 1900 already. "Thanks for waking me."

"Hm, let's go. You're in desperate need for a shower." Sephiroth got up and jumped off the truck to walk into the building. Their uniforms had become stiff with dried blood and they must reek indescribably, judging from the people fleeing out of their way.*

"Charming as ever." Genesis complained but otherwise followed Sephiroth like a good boy for once because he was just right. Even though he couldn't smell it anymore since he had been wearing these clothes too long already, his cultured self was absolutely not amused about his appearance. "Why can't ShinRa have baths? I really want to take a bath now." He continued as they entered their room to gather the stuff they would need for a shower.*

"I would prefer a bath myself... Give me a moment." Sephiroth winked at the redhead and pulled out his sticky phone. "This is Sephiroth. I was wondering if A-137 is in use right now. ... I understand... Excellent." He snapped the phone shut and turned to leave after he had grabbed a robe and a fresh uniform. "Today's your lucky day. Follow me."

Genesis mirrored Sephiroth's actions by grabbing something clean to wear and his baby-blue, super plushy bathrobe before following him. "And what exactly is 'A-137'?" He asked curiously after having caught up with the silver-haired warrior.

"You'll see. It's a surprise," Sephiroth replied mysteriously, as they mounted the elevator. He typed in a code and down they went, underground.

tbc?

* * *

**Reviews, comments and criticism is always appreciated :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello hello, new chapterrrrrr~ Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews!**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"You'll see. It's a surprise," Sephiroth replied mysteriously, as they mounted the elevator. He typed in a code and down they went, underground. When the doors opened they found themselves in an empty, steaming bath room with several pools, whirlpools, a hot spring and showers. And they were the only ones too.

"This belongs to First Class. We have an hour before we have to clear it," Sephiroth announced with a smirk, immediately peeling out of his uniform and leaving it where it fell to the tiles before he stepped under a shower and got himself cleansed by hot water.

"This is heaven…" The red-head breathed out after a moment of utter bliss, where he had only stood there and taken in the sight. "I haven't had a proper bath in… forever!" Peeling the clingy pieces of clothing off his skin and therefore revealing more and more whiteness that was partially stained with blood and scratches, Genesis stepped under the spray to wash the dirt off. Sniffing on one of the various shampoos and foams, he decided to take the one that smelled of apples and strawberries, to finally having his body smell nicely again.

Sephiroth needed two bottles of shampoo to get all the blood and slime out of his hair, but in the end he was satisfied and it felt silky again. He wrapped it around his neck like a scarf when they entered the whirlpool, leaning back and enjoying the bubbles and streams massaging their soar muscles. "You did very well today," the elder hummed, closing his eyes.

Genesis dropped down on the small bench across from Sephiroth and leaned back when the warm, prickling water made his muscles loosen and relax. The silver-haired man just looked ridiculously cute with his hair wrapped around his neck like that, but Genesis refrained from pointing that out loud. He just let his eyes fall shut and enjoyed the bath. "Thank you." He said at length. "I'd give back the compliment, but I guess it does not mean as much to you as it does to me."

"You don't know that..." Sephiroth replied lazily, shifting a bit to get another tense knot massaged away by the water stream. "I think that was very good team work today too. I am particularly impressed by your abilities to domesticate... fluffy chocobos."

"Why thank you." Genesis snorted. "I guess it's something one learns in a town like Banora. My parents wanted me to become a rich farmer… like them." He shrugged at that, briefly brushing through his already drying strands.

Comfortable silence settled around them at that, both lost in their own thoughts for a while before Genesis spoke up again. "I'm glad you see it that way…" He said quietly, almost unsure.

"You as a farmer?" the other teased, smiling at the image of Genesis with a straw hat, a pitch fork and a blue overall standing next to a bunch of cows and chocobos. "That would be crazy. You are far too refined and impatient to be a farmer." Throwing a hissy fit at chickens wouldn't make them throw out eggs any faster and that would definitely not sit well with Genesis... His thoughts drifted away and he had to focus them back on track. "Well, compared to how you were before you evolved a lot. I could see that you paid attention to your partner instead of barging in randomly."

Pouting, Genesis crossed his arms in front of his chest, while opening his blue eyes. "I was doing very good as a farmer before I decided to come here." He said proudly. "I won a lot of prices, too." Not that he had ever wanted to win those or to take part in any of those competitions. But since he had to – he was the major's only son and he was his _parent_'s' son after all – he thought he could as well win them. Being a farmer was not his dream job, but it was fun anyways.

"But thanks…" He then flushed in delight at the compliment, though. Even though Genesis had tried to despise Sephiroth for so long – and still tried to – he couldn't help but be flustered, when ShinRa's greatest soldier gave him that kind of praise.

"You won prices? What kind of prices?" Sephiroth asked with interest.

"This typical farmer's stuff. Growing the most tasteful kind of Banora dump apples, growing the flower with the best smelling blossom, mustering the cattle faster than the others… stuff like that. I was better in growing various kinds of flowers than shooing poor animals around though." Genesis said, shifting a little to the more comfortable on the bench.

"After seeing you woo those chocobos today that bit of information is surprising," Sephiroth replied thoughtfully. "It must feel good to win prices because you actually achieve something of your own strength."

Genesis chuckled at that. "I'm stressing _fastest_ here." He replied cockily. "Those guys and girls in my town, who continuously won that price would have gotten those chocobos in in a matter of seconds." It was good to talk so freely about his past. It felt right and okay to tell Sephiroth and it suddenly made the other become more… human to Genesis. "First and foremost it was fun at that time. I don't think I would have won anything if I had thought it was boring."

"Hm, I suppose it is motivating to have fun fulfilling a task and taking a competition," the other mused, tilting his head and opening his eyes a crack. He himself had never taken a competition because he wanted to but because he had to and he hadn't achieved it because he was motivated to but because the consequences of losing would have been severe for him and his family. Besides, he was pumped full of mako, drilled and genetically enhanced. That certainly was nothing to brag about. "Personally I think a quiet life in the country side sounds very tempting. Why did you come to the SOLDIER program?"

The red-head contemplated the question for a moment. "I get that a lot. Most people, who have never lived in the country side find it peaceful and romantic and to exaggerate a little… the perfect place to live. But actually… once you've grown up there and spent your whole life running from one side of the town to the other in a matter of a few minutes, always knowing everybody who is around and generally not being able to run wild because the whole town knows you like you were their child, it loses its appeal. I still like Banora, it's not that bad, to be honest, but I found the city life far more adventurous and interesting ever since we visited Junon when I was eight or nine. And I simply came to ShinRa because they were present everywhere… people in the village used to talk about the president and especially the SOLDIER program all the time. If you grow up with that kind of talk… well, do the math."

"I see... And did the promises live up to your expectations?" the other asked a bit wryly. To him it was still a nice fantasy living with his brothers in the country side where they could be together, peacefully and where they wouldn't have to become adults so early on.

Shrugging, Genesis laid his head back and stared at the ceiling. "It's adventurous…" He said at last, sinking deeper into the water with a thoughtful look. "But I would have to lie if I said it is what I thought it would be. It's… just like everywhere else. Thrilling to think about, but you sober up once you are there. I don't believe there's a place out there that is perfect in itself, so we have to make the best out of what we have."

"Wise words," the other agreed, the corners of his lips stretching as he opened his eyes. "I just happen to have an idea of how to make this stay even better." His hand slipped under water to stroke up Genesis' long leg. As it happened he was relaxed and the sight of naked, beautiful Genesis made him horny.

The other gulped down the moan that wanted to escape him at those words and actions. Swallowing thickly he looked at Sephiroth, captured by those brilliant eyes. "How come we always end up with this no matter what we do?" He asked huskily, his skin prickling at the silverette's touches and a pleasant warmth settling in his belly.

"I wonder too," the other replied, drawing closer and taking Genesis' chin in his hand before kissing him, his tongue curling in the other's mouth. He hadn't felt such an attraction to a person before. At the other hand Genesis could manage to irritate him to no end... In any case the redhead affected him emotionally, no matter on which level.

Curious.

Without hesitation Genesis slid his arms around Sephiroth's neck, undoing the hair there which instantly fanned around them like a curtain. Thrusting his nimble fingers into the silky and still wet tresses, he answered the kiss with just as much passion, his tongue teasing Sephiroth, tasting him, luring him, caging him. They continued like this for a while, both lost in the deep, somewhat meaningful kiss, yet Genesis soon started to wriggle under the taller man, his body ablaze and itchy, longing for touch and caress.

Sephiroth's hand wandered up between their bodies to get a grip on Genesis' erection, and stroked up the length up to the tip and back down again. He pulled the other man into his lap and rocked his pelvis up, his own erection pressed against Genesis' leg.

The redhead shifted in the other's lap shortly, sighing when their cocks slid smoothly against each other, the water around them giving it a whole new sensation. Genesis leaned his forehead against Sephiroth's shoulder, nibbling on the smooth and now clean skin there with soft nips, moans escaping him every now and then. Sephiroth's other hand slid around Genesis to cup round buttocks and knead them in sync with their gentle rocking. The sounds his roommate made went straight to his loins and accelerated his own breathing.

The red-head's breath was ragged and heavy, his eyes already clouded with lust. His hands reached for Sephiroth's chest, stroking over it lightly before finding his pale nipples. His fingers immediately began to play with them, pinching and stroking, while his mouth wandered higher up that strong throat. Genesis' hips worked against the other's pleasuring hand, thorn between pushing back or forth.

"Hm, you are really good with that too," Sephiroth praised, pulling Genesis closer. Though they were practically glued to each other it was not yet enough; they needed more contact, more friction, more of everything!

Genesis moaned right into his ear at that, a low, needy sound full of lust and want. "Are you giving me a price for it anytime soon?" He asked, biting his lip as he wriggled his bottom against Sephiroth's rock-hard erection. Oh, how his body longed to feel that buried deep inside of him…

He stopped at that, pushing some centimeters away from Sephiroth to stare at him. "We never had actual sex…" He realized suddenly.

"That depends on how you define sex... But if you mean penetration then you're right. We didn't..." Sephiroth affirmed with a frown, after he thought about it for a second. How strange; Genesis was the person closest to him here and despite them having been intimate on several occasions they hadn't done 'it' yet... Leaning back and looking up at the other's flushed face, he finally asked, "Would you like to?"

Genesis gulped heavily, eying Sephiroth for a moment, lost in the bliss of how the silver-haired man looked so sexy under him. He shook his head subtly in a weak attempt to clear his thoughts. "Well…" He drawled with a smirk plastered over his pouty lips. "The question is, why wouldn't I like it?" He asked and leaned forward to catch the other's lips in a heated kiss.

Sephiroth smiled against the other's lips and pulled him closer. His hands were drawn to Genesis' curvy buttocks and he squeezed them teasingly, but affectionally. His heartbeat picked up. Withdrawing a bit from the kiss he muttered, "There is no lube but I have shower gel."

Shivering against the silverette's taut body, Genesis let out a low sound that resembled a kitten's mewl. Wriggling his behind against Sephiroth's hands he barely noticed that the other had spoken up. A frown settled on his features at the suggestion. "You think that has… the same effect?" He asked suspiciously, his eyes hazy with lust and need, but a small part of his conscience was still aware of what was going on around him.

Sephiroth was tempted to say 'yes', because he wanted this very much and he wanted it right away. But he found that he didn't want to hurt Genesis. Had it been Reno he wouldn't have thought twice about his answer. "I don't know. We could give it a try and stop if it hurts."

When Genesis saw the small flash of concern and sincerity, he nodded gingerly, almost sheepishly. He leaned towards Sephiroth's ear, hesitating for a moment before whispering, "I trust you". And he meant it. It was odd how he really felt safe with the other around, even though his pride was telling him he did not need the pompous prick at all.

Sephiroth didn't know why but his stomach made a flip and he felt as if he just had a pre-orgasm. He simply nodded and reached for the tube with one hand while the other slipped between Genesis' buttocks to rub that little wet wrinkle there. He squeezed a few droplets into the cleft and started to smear it around the clenched hole, making it slip before his finger dipped inside carefully. Ah, it was so warm there... Sephiroth's cock twitched in anticipation as he pushed deeper.

Unable to hold it back, Genesis moaned out at the intrusion, his head falling against Sephiroth's shoulder to rest there as he was panting and shifting at the digit that was now worming its way into his very insides. Suddenly his previous encounters were blown away and he felt like an inexperienced virgin again, judging from the prickling feeling of excitement that was wriggling in his belly. The thought of Sephiroth's erection soon being neatly nestled inside of him made him moan even louder.

Genesis wasn't the only one feeling nervous; Sephiroth was surprised to find that his routine was failing him. It wasn't just like other meaningless fucks, somehow. He didn't want to dwell on it now however. Instead he added a second finger, while kissing along Genesis' shoulder, murmuring, "How is it?"

The other shuddered at the question as Sephiroth's breath blew cool air over his wet, sensitive skin. His fingers clawed gently at the taller man's back, his breathing ragged and almost failing him. This was way too good, there was no way in hell this was supposed to be so good. "Perfect…" He moaned out, his eyes falling shut.

"Good..." Sephiroth pushed and stretched probably longer than he needed to and he was pushing himself to the limits of the tolerable. There was nothing he had ever wanted as much as entering Genesis. Not only his cock, his body, ached for it but his soul as well. And with every push of his fingers Genesis' body rolled against his and the most sexy moans fell from his lips... "You ready?"

The red-head nodded frantically, his slightly wet strands clinging to his flushed face, eyes closed in bliss and ecstasy. His insides were already clenching around Sephiroth's long and agile fingers, longing for more that it made his stomach bubble. When the other withdrew the fingers filling him, he moaned at the loss, but knew that it would be made up to him instantly.

Sephiroth lifted his hips and grabbed his own cock to lube it. The preparation was driving him almost crazy, but still he did it thoroughly before finally pushing Genesis down on it as gently as he could. Sinking down almost knocked the wind out of Genesis. His body was oversensitive, the tip of Sephiroth's pulsing cock nudging against his wrinkled entrance made him shudder, the movement when he pushed in made him moan and grab for something to hold on. It did not hurt, no more than usually, but the silver-haired General was large and filled him so completely that it made his insides flutter every time they moved an inch. Even when they were held still to adjust it was driving him insane.

"Fuck." He breathed out heavily, pushing against Sephiroth for more body contact.

"Is that an invitation?" Sephiroth smirked, his forehead leaning against Genesis' flushed shoulder. He had to stop for a moment, lest he would cum prematurely. Genesis was so incredibly tight and warm around him, squeezing his cock perfectly...

"Hell, yes it is," Genesis moaned out, moving on the erection to test the position they were in before relaxing even further and sinking completely down, impaled himself on Sephiroth so thoroughly that it made him moan again just by thinking about it. Genesis' hands shifted onto his shoulders, then into his hair, feeling the silky tresses in his hand before taking a strand and bringing it to his lips. Azure eyes opened to look into glazed green ones, sparkling and shining when he took a deep breath of the freshly washed hair.

Sephiroth drew his brows together as he was completely engulfed by the heat. His nails dug into Genesis' flesh unconsciously as he started to roll his pelvis up and with shallow thrusts began to penetrate Genesis. "You feel good," he hissed.

Moaning at the sweet friction, Genesis started to meet Sephiroth's trusts. "Hm… you do too," he breathed out, his head falling forward as one hand grabbed for the man's shoulder to hold on to him. His body was completely taken by pleasure and need, there was no way he could stop anymore now.

Sephiroth started to push faster, holding Genesis' moist, naked back tightly. The water around them splashed against the rim of the pool as they went faster and harder, panting and moaning and clinging to each other. Sephiroth found himself unbelievably turned on, his desire driving him deeper and deeper into Genesis' ass. High-pitched moans and muttered encouragements filled the air as Genesis grew more frantic, wanting Sephiroth to go deeper, harder, faster, more, more! His body and mind were consumed by the feeling as if he was high on some kind of sex drug. Obviously Sephiroth had just that effect on him, addictive and bittersweet. He shuddered at another thrust that brushed his prostate, sending lightning through his already boiling body, making him convulse and almost scream. "So close…" He breathed out, leaning his forehead against the silver-haired man's.

"Come with me," Sephiroth breathed, kissing Genesis again. Both his hands were on the redhead's buttocks, pressing them together against his veined cock and the friction was incredible, so overwhelming that he groaned into Genesis' mouth.

The red-head was a wobbly mess by now, moaning, crying into Sephiroth's devouring mouth, his eyes firmly closed under the steady assault of utter bliss that ran through his body. Clutching onto the other he came, feeling like drowning while Sephiroth was the only stable point around him. "Fuck", he moaned into the other's mouth, shuddering as pure fire shot through his veins, his brain completely shutting down, his body caught in ecstasy.

Sephiroth came only a few seconds later, as Genesis' arching body and the sight of him in the throes of ecstasy was simply perfect. It was completely fulfilling and unparalleled to any experience he'd ever had. His body simply dissolved in pleasure and he felt his soul and flesh melt with Genesis'. It felt as if they were fusing, both of them caught in all consuming pleasure. It warmed something inside of Genesis' chest when he opened his eyes to an exhausted but obviously pleased Sephiroth, who still held his hip. A smile crept to Genesis lips without him noticing and without giving it a second thought, he leaned in and pressed a simple kiss to the other's lips.

Sephiroth replied to it just as easily, because somehow it was the natural thing to do. Carefully he pulled out even though he didn't want to. He didn't let go of Genesis though. Usually he wasn't the cuddly type at all but he craved the warmth and the contact now. "What was that for?" he asked, lifting a brow but smiling.

The fiery red-head settled back into Sephiroth's lap, wriggling around a little to get comfortable before shrugging in a nonchalant way. "I felt like it," was all the other got as a reply as Genesis leaned in and nestled his head into the prominent curve of Sephiroth's throat.

"I see." Sephiroth could relate. He leaned his cheek against his lover's head and his lids dropped. The water was still bubbling around them and they probably had to leave soon, but for now it was all right.

The silver-haired man's heartbeat made Genesis sleepy. He was so content, warm, satisfied. His thoughts were nicely dulled to mere flashes of conscience and Sephiroth's skin against his own felt just right. A part of him even admitted that this had been definitely the best sex he ever had.

tbc?

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**Wha, they didit!**

**Comments, criticism etc. always welcome! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Here's a new chapter for you~ I suggest you get a cup of hot chocolate, snuggle with your blanket and enjoy a little bit of drama^^**

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**Chapter 18**

20 minutes later they were back in their room, relaxed and refreshed. Sephiroth picked up his phone to call his brothers as he did every evening, but instead he saw that he had gotten 3 missed calls from Lazard. He frowned and read the text message that had been left behind. 'Come to my office immediately.' it said.

"I have to go meet Lazard," he muttered, looking over at Genesis who was checking his phone too.

"You are not the only one." The red-head replied, brushing the towel through his almost dried hair one last time before laying it onto his bed, intending to put it somewhere to dry later. "He wants something from me, too." Roaming around in his closet, he grabbed a plain black button-up shirt and turned towards Sephiroth. "Well, we can go and see what he wants and then enjoy the party, right?"

"I guess so." Sephiroth inwardly sighed. He didn't feel like dealing with Lazard right now. Actually he never did, but at this very moment he didn't want anything to do with ShinRa at all... He quickly got ready and then they went to the elevator and upstairs. Maybe it was something important. Though it had been quiet for a while they might have found a lead on the strange things that had happened on the missions...

It was a quiet ride to Lazard's office and even though Genesis was one for talking and entertainment, he didn't mind it one bit. He was content like this somehow, minding his own thoughts, brooding a little while watching Sephiroth secretly do the same. When they reached the director's office they were met with the sight of Angeal and the other soldier – whose name he couldn't remember -, waiting for them. One exchanged glance with Angeal told Genesis that they were here on Lazard's demand as well.

"My dear SOLDIERs," Lazard greeted them, getting up from his desk and coming towards them as they saluted him. He wore a smile and the presence of the other two made Sephiroth expect the worst. If this was one of Lazard's infamous motivational speeches...

"I must congratulate you to your mission. Well done."

Sephiroth barely refrained from groaning. Here it was.

Sensing the distress from his right, where Sephiroth stood, Genesis could barely contain a grin – a highly inappropriate one – from spreading over his lips. He remained cool and collected though, but his eyes glinted in amusement. He hoped Lazard wouldn't seeit... Genesis didn't know why the silver-haired man next to him seemed so… annoyed by this, but it was highly amusing still.

"Judging from the reports and the positive feedback from the townspeople, you did more than well today. You dealt with three behemots and managed to rescue a whole town from being completely destroyed." The director went on, mainly summing up their work today.

Sephiroth shifted his weight and didn't look at the watch. But he wanted to, so much.

Lazard crossed his arms behind his back and began to pace up and down in front of them which was a bad sign, because that meant he was just starting to warm up, but then the man abruptly stopped. He smiled. "I won't torture you with much of a long speech, you must be tired from the mission. Just know that your superiors have recommended you for a promotion and I accepted. Congratulations, Hewley, Rhapsodos and Zschietzkewitsch; from this day you may call yourselves SOLDIERs Second Class."

At first Genesis tried to process the unspeakable name of Angeal's partner. It started to sink in when Angeal turned to look at him, his eyes full of joy and pride. The red-head looked at Lazard again, who still smiled faintly, and then he felt his own pride swelling up inside of him.

They were Second Class Soldier now, they had made it, he had made it! Against his parents' belief, against nearly everybody's belief. He could keep his voice in check because he wanted to scream in happiness, but he could not contain the twitchy feeling inside of his legs that made him jump from left to right for a moment.

"As for you, Sephiroth. Given the extraordinary performance on battlefield and upon guiding a team, we decided to promote you to SOLDIER First Class."

Sephiroth wordlessly lowered his head a few inches to acknowledge the 'honor'. Lazard seemed disappointed at his dispassionate reaction, but he turned quickly towards the other three who clearly seemed delighted. "Well then, I suppose you have something to celebrate. You are dismissed."

As he saluted and then left with the others trailing after him, Genesis suddenly felt like embracing the world. SOLDIER Second Class meant one step further towards being a hero and finally being Sephiroth's equal, and to succeed him someday. Oddly enough, the thought stung somewhere in his chest. He shouldn't be jealous of the silver-haired man, shouldn't envy his fame and reputation as it was nothing the other was proud of. Sighing, he turned around when the door fell shut behind them, beaming at his fellow instantly. "Director Lazard _is_ right. This is definitely a reason to party!"

The guy with the unspeakable name was glowing with joy and thrust his fist into the air, screaming a noise of unadulterated happiness. "We should," Angeal agreed, smiling brightly, looking very satisfied. Sephiroth nodded and tried to look kind of positive about the whole thing. He didn't feel like celebrating and usually he would have just been antisocial and left but then he'd never hear the end of it and Genesis' rants could get ugly...

Genesis let Angeal and the other guy lead the way, smiling brightly as he watched them interact before he turned towards Sephiroth, who walked a few steps behind him. "Come on, cheer up. You said you wanted to celebrate a little before you got promoted." The red-head said in a quiet voice, while briefly checking if the other two were listening. "What's up?" He asked finally as he fell behind to walk beside the taller swordsman.

"Nothing is up. I am tired." Sephiroth shrugged. He couldn't just work up the enthusiasm. First Class meant more work, more responsibility, more ShinRa and less time to spend with his family. "I'm good," he replied, one corner of his lips twitching upwards. "Let's go have fun."

Sighing, the red-head nudged his side encouragingly, a sly smile spreading on his lips. "You weren't tired back in the bathrooms." He grinned mischievously while crossing his arms in front of his chest. He let the topic drop though, firmly in mind of picking it up again once they were alone.

Sephiroth just smirked, stretching a bit and noticing the light crackling of his bones as he followed the others. They were happy, Genesis was happy and that was a good thing. They deserved it, especially his roommate what with all the throw-backs and the drama.

Genesis seemed to flourish with the attention. the smile that was plastered over his face was an honest one, full of pride and joy. This was what he had longed for so much, what he had been dreaming of. Seeing that dream – even though partially – come true, was … unbelievable, but in a good way. Unknowingly he flashed Sephiroth a bright grin, as if to calm him, as if to tell him that he didn't want to overshadow him, just get a part of the spotlight the other was in.

They went down to the bar that was frequented by SOLDIERs and it seemed that the news had traveled at lightening speed because they were greeted by a cheering crowd that applauded them and whistled as soon as they entered. A couple of guys had gathered around them and the first round of beer was brought. There was a lot of shoulder clapping and Sephiroth got momentarily distracted by another First coming up to him and asking the usual question of how it felt to be a First now. Sephiroth's demeanour cooled and he gave a shrug, sipping at his foamy beer someone had thrust into his hand. The guys didn't need his input, they were already discussing among themselves how it had been for them, leaving Sephiroth a hardly interested spectator. They did seem surprised that he was even here, but as usual they kept as much distance from him as he did from them.

The evening flew by, one drink following the next. The beer tasted better in the company of others, drinking, talking, eating every now and then. Even the normally modest Angeal seemed to enjoy the attention he was getting, not to speak of Genesis, who willingly talked about everything with everybody. He _was_ an extroverted person, he relished in heed. Sighing, he took another sip of his sixth or seventh beer.

Brad brought a new one already, setting it at the blotched, beer-wet table in front of Genesis with a grin before he left. He didn't want to bother the redhead, they had talked a bit a while earlier and though it had been awkward at first they found it easier soon enough. Brad had gotten over his issues, especially since it was thanks to Genesis that he was still in the program.

From a dark corner at the end of the bar a pair of icy blue eyes were glued to the flushed redhead who was brimming with pride and happiness and kept talking and laughing and basking in the attention he got. Eventually a figure detached from the shadows and casually walked over. The man sipped at his bottle as he came to stand beside Genesis who, for once, was not busy talking to someone. Over the noise of the heated discussions and laughter, the calm voice of the man still wafted to Genesis' ear as he said, "Quite the party you got here."

The other's head whirled around at the sudden company. Despite his confusion he nodded friendly, his booze fogged brain dismissing the question of who this. "You enjoy it?" He asked, sipping at the beer Brad had gotten him. He was quite relieved that he and Brad were getting along, mostly because Angeal had emphasized what a good guy he was when they had first met. And Genesis had to say that Brad was just that indeed. They just had a … bad start.

"Not as much as you do," the stranger replied, finally turning towards Genesis with a barely there smile that didn't reach his eyes. "How does it feel to be Second now?" he tilted his head in mild interest, his eyes scanning the redhead up and down, before he took another lazy swig from his beer. The man didn't bother introducing himself. He wasn't particularly memorable either; short brown hair, blue eyes that glistened with the mako sheen. Genesis had yet to get his first mako First Class uniform treatment, but he would, soon enough.

Had he been sober, the auburn haired man'd have labeled the other as rude for not introducing himself at all, but since most of his synapses were unable to properly function he couldn't care less. Just another face, just another talk. "So far, it's quite nice. Not different from being Third, you know? But… Exciting." Genesis said enthusiastically, grinning happily before taking another sip of his beer. He was swaying slightly on his chair, but he was used to more alcohol than this. It wouldn't be enough to make him pass out or slur yet.

"Oh, I believe that." The guy leaned over, and to possible onlookers it seemed as if he was concernedly trying to steady the tipsy redhead. In fact, however, the Second Class Soldier gripped Genesis by the arm, harder than necessary but not hard enough to be considered threatening or violent, and whispered coolly into Genesis' pearly ear, "Since all you do is spreading your legs anyway. I am amazed how far up you can propel yourself in ranks just being Sephiroth's slut."

The other's ever-present, drunk smile faltered at that, a frown flickering over his features as he was comprehending the words. "Excuse me?" Genesis asked, his eyes suddenly flaming up with ire and temper. Perhaps he hadn't understood the guy correctly, he did not really want to throw a fit here if he had just misheard whatever this … scumbag had said. But the grip on his arm and the glimmer in his blue eyes told a story of their own.

"No, I'm not excusing your slutty behavior. I didn't give a damn till the minute you dared to waltz in here, bragging about your 'achievements' when all you do is being a greater man's bitch. Maybe not so great though, if he fucks you... Anyways, you can save the act, people know what's going on here. You're just embarrassing yourself further." The man's voice was utterly calm but laced with malice and pointed disgust. He didn't say this because he meant to be mean, but because he believed what he was accusing Genesis of. And he might not be the only one.

"My relationship – and I am positively neutral about it because it's nobody's business what Sephiroth and I do in our free time – has nothing to do with my work here at ShinRa, I can assure you of that." Genesis hissed angrily, his fingers flexing around his glass, practically clawing at it in a meek attempt to keep calm. A breath left his nostrils a little sharper than intended, but it seemed to calm him a little anyways. "But grace me with your knowledge, oh omniscient one, how do you even know so thoroughly that I am… pardon Sephiroth is fucking me, when I don't even know about it?" He was getting back to cocky, a typical defensive mechanism. Of course Genesis knew they were fucking, but he wondered who the hell could have seen or noticed it.

The other snorted, a small and thoroughly derisive sound. "It's obvious he cares about you, otherwise he wouldn't put up with your shit. And just keep telling yourself that you made it on your own - you're fooling only yourself. Just another piece of advice," his fingers around Genesis' arm tightened for a second, before he let go and withdrew, "keep a low profile. Some may not be as friendly about it as I am. You don't belong here and there's people out there who make short work of scum like you. No matter who's your patron."

And then he was gone, diving back into the crowd of drinking, cheering people.

Genesis huffed, watching wordlessly how the nameless guy blended back in with the others and leaving him with his own angry thoughts. How _dare_ he saying such things!? The redhead was well aware that it was for Sephiroth that he was climbing ranks so fast, but it was most definitely not for the fact that they had sex. At least Genesis doubted that the man was running around to boost about his success in ShinRa because they had a good lay again. Rather the opposite.

Sighing, he downed the remains of his beer. It suddenly tasted all too bitter and his mood had dropped several degrees. It was not fair, why exactly did everybody hate him here?

From a corner Angeal had watched Genesis talking to someone he hadn't seen before. He was glad that Genesis made new friends now, since he could be a bit difficult, what with that temper and attitude of his. When the guy left however, Genesis seemed down. Angeal was just about to leave the company of his group to walk over to his friend but Sephiroth was there already.

Angeal frowned. Now this was a curious little incident. It seemed that the two of them were getting along again... Turning back to the group, Angeal still kept an eye on them, but unfortunately couldn't hear their conversation over the voices and the music.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

Sephiroth had taken the opportunity to flee some guys who desperately tried to engage him into some stupid drinking game and he was very grateful to find Genesis sitting on his own. It was a great excuse to walk over to him for a break. Sephiroth warily scanned the room, drawing deeper into the shadows to hide, though still waiting for an answer from Genesis.

A slow smile crept over the red-head's handsome features at the display of Sephiroth's obvious discomfort. "Sure, how about you?" He answered half-truthfully. "You don't seem to enjoy it as much." A light giggle escaped his throat, despite his earlier agitation. Lately the silver-haired man was able to calm him – when they weren't fighting, that was.

"I am having the time of my life," Sephiroth retorted dryly. Earlier Sephiroth had caught some wisecracker joking about inviting Sephiroth's fanclub to the party. He'd threatened the guy with a slow, painful death and made clear that he found that idea anything but amusing. When they were drunk enough though there was no telling what they might do to raise the 'fun'-level...

"Could have fooled me," Genesis chuckled, nudging Sephiroth's side in a friendly manner before turning to grab another drink, this time something harder. Beer wasn't satisfying anymore. If he wanted to forget the guy's so called advice, he needed more booze. "Perhaps you should just play along and lighten up a little." Genesis offered and sipped at his vodka.

Sephiroth just grunted, taking a sip from the foul tasting substance filling three fourth of his beer bottle. It was still his first one. Everyone else seemed to be pretty inebriated already.

"So, you got to know a few of your new colleagues already?" he asked non-committally, trying the social thing with the talking and all. Not that he was horribly interested. Just a little bit.

The redhead merely shrugged and turning to the bartender to order another drink, before he thrust his own into Sephiroth's hand with a wink. "Some fleeting faces. I don't intend to know about this evening tomorrow morning anyways." He said happily. "Most of them congratulate me and ask me about the mission… and about your phone number," he frowned at that, but shook his head. "Brad's extraordinarily nice to me…"

"Is he now." A thin brow arched up in mild distaste. Sephiroth's green orbs scanned the room and quickly found the man in question, but he was busy flirting with someone else. No thread from this front then.

The newly promoted First Class Soldier stared down at the drink he'd just been offered and then back at Genesis who was slurping a new beverage already. "I am not going to carry you home."

A pout formed on Genesis' lips at that. "Meanie," he muttered before downing the rest of his drink. His head was beginning to swim already and everything seemed to be just all right and nice. A good sign. Very good.

Sephiroth watched Genesis drink for three long, agonizing hours.

He attempted to subtly coax the redhead into leaving, but was brushed off by loud, drunken protest each time. At one point Angeal had offered to help but the man looked too wasted himself, and though everything inside Sephiroth just screamed at him to drop off the load of a cranky, sickly looking redhead he had told Angeal he'd take care of it. At 4 am Sephiroth finally reached the limits of his patience.

"We are leaving," he declared, taking Genesis by the collar and dragging him out the door. The party was over anyway; the first half had left, the other was sleeping or puking.

"Nooooo~", was the only protest the redhead offered this time and despite some unfocussed slapping and waving he did nothing to hold the other back, mostly because Genesis was simply not able to do it anymore. "U're no fun at… all." He slurred as he was dragged across the halls, deliberately making himself heavier than he actually was. " 'vrybody was all 'appy goo-goo, but u… hey, that rhymed." Giggling Genesis clapped his hands at himself, he was such a genius!

"Brilliant. Makes Loveless pale in comparison," Sephiroth uttered. Once outside he heaved one of Genesis' arms over his shoulder and supported his weight with a tight grip around the redhead's waist. Then they made their way back through the night. It had started to rain, but the cool water from above was refreshing after hours and hours in the sticky, smoke-filled bar.

"And the only one goo-goo was the bartender for your money," he grunted, as they passed a flickering street light. At least the barracks were right around.

"U thin' so?" Genesis babbled, his blue eyes gleaming with pride and – mostly – alcohol. "U thin' I would make a goo' po… poet?" He giggled again suddenly, leaning against the taller man in order to keep standing and not fall over onto his face. "Nooo~, the bar man was totally lookin' at my cut' ass…" To make his point he wriggled said body part against Sephiroth's waist, a fit of laughter shaking him shortly after.

The other groaned, almost losing his grip on the redhead. It was good for Genesis that he was enjoying himself so thoroughly. But bad for Sephiroth.

"Did he now?" Sephiroth grunted, not liking the idea of the greasy barkeeper ogling his roommates bottom.

Genesis nodded eagerly, before noticing that it made his whole head-spinning worse. His vision was swimming enough already, without him bobbing his head like this. "Who wouln't?" He slurred, desperately holding on to Sephiroth in order to stay put. "Oi, why's 'verythin' movin'?"

Sephiroth wryly grabbed him tighter. Who wouldn't indeed. "Stop moving your head," he advised, finally entering the barracks and trying to get down the hallway as quietly as possible. Hopefully, _hopefully _Genesis wouldn't retch...

Looking down at the flushed redhead Sephiroth asked slightly suspiciously, "You do remember the pact, don't you?"

Looking up, the redhead rose one eyebrow in question, his gaze unfocussed at best. "Pact?" He asked curiously, blinking several times in a futile attempt to clear his head.

Sephiroth sighed. "We ought to not have partners for sexual intercourse apart from each other," he then enlightened Genesis a bit sourly. It seemed that the alcohol had clouded his brain because that had actually caused the biggest fight they had ever had. He couldn't have forgotten that...could he?

The other frowned at Sephiroth for a moment before giggling again. "So u thought I forgot?" He grinned. "And no I did 'nt forgetit. I just don' see why u thought 'bout it now…" Genesis turned his head from one side to the other, contemplating whether he had said anything that could have the other remind him of their 'pact'.

"I wonder too." Sephiroth got a headache trying to think about how they had gotten to that topic. It didn't matter much now, because they had finally reached their room and with great relief Sephiroth pushed the door open and heaved Genesis onto his bed.

"Just be careful," he muttered, as he unwrapped his arms from Genesis' lithe frame. "People get more aggressive the higher ranked they are."

Genesis huffed at that, slumping down on his downy bed and closed his eyes for a moment. Everything around him was still in motion and he was getting sick. "Noticed tha' already." He mumbled into the cushion. "That freakin' brown boy thought he could accuse me of sleepin' my way through the ranks. Ts… how rude…"

Sephiroth froze. "Who said that? And why would they say that?" He shook Genesis' shoulder, a bit too harsh maybe, to keep the young man from falling asleep.

Raising his head, Genesis looked at Sephiroth with a slightly annoyed expression. "He didn't introdu... introduce himsel' y'kno'? Had brown hair, blue eyes... freakin' normal guy. Warned me of goin' too far 'n stuff..." He answered nonetheless. "But he had that glow... that... mako glow. Like your eyes." Suddenly the redhead smiled. "Did I ever tell u, u have pretty eyes?"*

"You didn't," Sephiroth replied, a bit softer. Then he rubbed his temple. He couldn't get distracted, despite the strange feeling in his stomach. "It was a SOLDIER then, higher ranked... What exactly did he say to you?"

"He warned me of keepin' down an' not run around braggin' about my unde… undeserv… u'kno' achievements. Coz I sleep with ya 'n all" Genesis' forehead wrinkled into a frown before he rolled onto his side, yawning. "Said some people wouldn't like it…"

"How dare he." Sephiroth growled, but more to himself. He looked pissed off as he put the picture together from the little, slurred and confused pieces of information Genesis had fed him. It surprised him that people knew that he was sleeping with Genesis (a fact that was regrettable but bothered him surprisingly little); it didn't surprise him that envious and jealous people started to harass Genesis now and belittle his achievements.

What worried him was the threat.

Thinking back about it now, all the 'accidents' had started right after they had gotten intimate.

Sephiroth's breath stopped for a second, his figure stiffening. That was a clue, but in his condition he couldn't talk about it with Genesis. Thus Sephiroth outwardly calmed down, sighed, and pulled the blanket over Genesis' slender body. "Don't listen to them. You deserved this."

A drunk, but happy smile settled over the redhead's features as he curled up into a ball and snuggled deeper into the cushion. One eye cracked open to survey Sephiroth for a moment. "U'kno'… you are actu'lly nice…" He slurred, muffled by the soft blanket and pillows, but his eye closed again. Genesis was obviously drifting off to sleep now.

Sephiroth didn't reply, just let his hand brush lightly over the redhead's feathery soft hair. He doubted that the guy who'd have to face his wrath for making such accusations would agree with Genesis' statement.

He remained on the edge of Genesis' bed for another few minutes, quietly watching him sleep and wondering when he had gotten so attached. Then he turned off the light and went to his own bed for some much needed sleep.

tbc?

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**Merry Christmas everyone and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you for all your lovely reviews^^ I hope your new year started well? Now on to the chapter, enjoy!**

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**Chapter 19**

Azure eyes opened up to the dim darkness of the room, a muffled groan escaping his lips. A glance towards the clock told him that he had just woken up in time. Genesis rolled over, the movement making his head swim even more. He heard the faint rush of water, probably caused by Sephiroth who was already up and washing. It was a miracle that the man had let him sleep until now, normally he would wake him up earlier with cruel glee. How much drinks had he had last night? He could only remember fragments; an all too nice Brad flashing by every now and then, the strange guy that had threatened him – he thought he remembered that at least – and Sephiroth half-carrying him home.

Sighing the redhead slowly sat up, careful not to disturb his already upset stomach and head. The noise from the bathroom died down.

"You have ten minutes left to shower," Sephiroth informed as he came into the room, drying his hair. "Hurry up. We got summoned to the labs right after. You'll get your fist mako injection." Smirking, the man turned to get his uniform from the wardrobe and dress his partially still wet body into the appropriate gear. He hated going to the labs but for Genesis it was all new and amazing and whatnot.

The redhead was very tempted to just lie back down and curl up into a tiny little ball until his hangover would pass. A smirking Sephiroth in the morning, who obviously took delight in his pain was anything but cheerful. He got up grumpily, grabbed his stuff before he shuffled out of the door towards the showers, deliberately ignoring everybody who dared to look at him the wrong way. He should be excited about the injections, he should be proud because it meant he was a somewhat valuable part of the SOLDIER program. At least to a certain extent. But right now, he was just tired and wanted the day to be over already.

Sephiroth waited for him patiently. He had decided that they wouldn't have breakfast this morning. There was no time, Genesis looked sick already and everyone reacted differently to mako injections.

Eventually Genesis came back and they silently made their way down to the labs. Sephiroth noticed the shadow tailing them and inwardly sighed. Reno hadn't gotten any better at 'secret' observations.

Either Genesis did not notice the Turk or he ignored him as he was staring straight ahead, massaging his temples every now and then. "You couldn't have kept me from getting ass-drunk yesterday, could you?" He groaned, shooting Sephiroth a suing, angry glance before messing up his already messy hair even more. He wanted his bed. Now.

"No, probably not." As if Genesis would have listened to him. "You had fun, didn't you? Stop whining and take it like a man," the other grunted, but inwardly he was amused. They stepped into the elevator, going down to the labs.

"The injection may hurt the first few times, but you will get used to it. You might also feel dizzy and a bit sick afterwards, but that will fade. The next day you will feel refreshed." Sephiroth only told Genesis that because the lab personal wouldn't bother. They just did their job and didn't have time explaining or answering questions, which could be confusing and scary for first timers.

"Tz, as if I wasn't sick enough anyways. Now I have to suck some poisonous shit up my veins and puke it out afterwards …Fabulous." Okay, so he was very grumpy and ill-tempered. But who could hold it against him? He had a hangover and was confronted with a lover who – instead of pitying him- was amused by his agony. Which was a bit strange,Sephiroth seemed to be in a very good mood today. Genesis could guess why. "_And_ as if that wasn't enough, we are getting observed by that obnoxious red-head again that I so want to throw out of a fucking window right now." He said the last part deliberately louder for Reno to hear it. Given the small… discussion he and Sephiroth had had, he was allowed to dislike the Turk.

"You'll get over it," Sephiroth replied dryly as they entered the labs. People in white coats were running around, looking busy. One of them turned towards them and impatiently waved them into a room with several stretchers that were divided by green curtains. It looked like a makeshift arrangement, and Sephiroth frowned. Usually they got one bed per room during the mako injection and he actually cherished that privacy.

"You'll have to share a room today," the assistant explained languidly. "Professor Hollander will check on you later during the injection, he's busy right now. Lay down and pull up your sleeves from your arm."

Bubbly excitement filled Genesis' already abused stomach at the environment he was facing. He hated hospitals and he hated doctors. But he hated labs even more. Bracing for whatever was to come, he gingerly sat down on one of the stretchers, pulling his sleeve up until his crook was visible. Oh, this day could only get better now.

"Have you done this a lot already, Sephiroth?" He asked to calm his raging nerves.

"Yes. It isn't that bad." Sephiroth pulled up his sleeve as he lay down.

The assistant lifted a brow and then came over with two syringes. He went to Sephiroth first, finding a vein quickly and smoothly putting the needle in, then emptying the glowing green substance. Sephiroth leaned back, gritting his teeth. As if to prove his words wrong today it seemed to hurt more, the nerves around the little wound tingling as the mako spread through his arm.

"There you go." Moving over to Genesis, the assistant leaned over his arm, searching the white skin for a blue line that he could use. "You afraid of needles?" he asked with little interest, making small talk.

"No, just a healthy amount of dislike for labs." Genesis mumbled as he watched with a mixture of awe and fear as the needle sank into his skin. Perhaps not the best idea because it caused his stomach to do stupid flips. He turned his head away and faced the curtain to his left. The assistant smirked knowingly before he injected the mako.

"There you go," the man in the lab coat said, turning and walking to the door. "Just lay down for half an hour, the professor will come check on you soon."

He threw them one last look, then closed the door behind him.

"That wasn't that bad, was it?" Sephiroth asked from behind the curtain. He wasn't feeling too well but didn't want to worry Genesis unnecessarily. His last shot had been a while and he just needed to adjust. The dose got stronger each time too, so a few symptoms were to be expected.

"My arm is aching, my head is swimming and my stomach is doing rodeo. But other than that, it's not that bad, you are right." Genesis groaned and lay back, his eyes closing on their own as he shifted to lie at least a little comfortably. "At least it will make my eyes shine…" He joked, his nausea slowly calming as long as he did not move or opened his eyes.

"Hm, it will..." Sephiroth's head lolled to the side. He had difficulties focusing and his arm started to burn pretty bad. But Genesis showed the same symptoms, so he wasn't too worried. Professor Hojo prepared his shots and he was known for going overboard at times. He wouldn't do anything that could harm his precious specimen though, Sephiroth thought wryly. Besides, he had worse shots.

"It'll go away soon," he comforted in a slurring voice, blinking and pinching the bridge of his nose to stay focused. His skin felt too hot.

Genesis took a few deep breaths, a dizzy part of his brain noticing that Sephiroth sounded strange, sounded completely like he shouldn't.

"Are you alright?" He asked raspily. "For someone who should be used to this… you sound too pained."

"I'm fine... probably," Sephiroth dismissed, shifting on the mattress. He didn't feel fine. In fact he felt feverish and his whole body was sore and hurt badly. And it got worse, fast. Hollander would come to check on them soon anyways, then he could ask if something was wrong...

"That doesn't sound convincing at all, Seph…" Genesis remarked, a shiver running through his heated body. Goosebumps rose on his skin and he shook his arm a little to shoo it away. It didn't help much.

"Hm... maybe someone should get Hollander," Sephiroth mumbled. The corona around his pupils had become almost white, the skin on his face was waxy and moist with sweat. Sephiroth tried to sit up but couldn't get his body to cooperate. Hissing he looked down at his arm that had become red veined.

Genesis deemed that a good idea, but 'someone' in this case meant him – he assumed Sephiroth was not well enough to move anywhere at the moment. He sat up slowly – good so far because he had not yet emptied his already empty stomach all over the shiny white tiles – and placed his feet on the floor. Why was there nobody to look after them? He mentally added another argument against labs in his head as he shakily got up and grabbed at the curtain for support. He was doing better than he had thought.

"I doubt there is even a freaking nurse button here…" He groaned, shaking his head and shoulders to get rid of the shivery, itchy feeling that had overtaken his body. Pulling the curtain aside, Genesis almost doubled over at Sephiroth's condition. All the skin that was visible on him was covered with a fine layer of sweat, his eyes looked haunted and shone, ablaze with the mako in his veins. If he hadn't looked so ill, it would have almost been pretty.

"I'll be right back…" And where was this dumbass of a Turk when you needed him?

Sephiroth just nodded, but it was hard for him to keep a line of thought. Thinking about it now he had never seen that lab assistant. The whole situation had been strange, but Sephiroth had been too concerned about making sure that Genesis was comfortable to notice. And even though he was barely able to stay conscious, he recognized the was not just a slight overdose, this was severe mako poisoning, Sephiroth could tell the difference as he had had his fair share of overdose before. Hojo liked to experiment with what he could take, and from time to time he went overboard. But nothing like this. Nothing that would make his heart race as if it was trying to burst.

The red-head stumbled towards the door, his fingers shaking like leaves in the wind as he grasped the handle and opened the door. Everything was turning round and round and he thought he was going to be seasick, but he needed to get somebody, anybody. Sephiroth really didn't look well and deep down Genesis feared he was going to die without medical care.

Outside, there was nobody to be seen – of course. Why would somebody run around in the labs at that very moment? They were just being injected a freaking overdose of mako for fuck's sake.

"Genesis? You really don't look so well…" The auburn haired man started at that voice, tripping and nearly falling over in surprise.

"Whoa, easy there."

It was Reno, it was freaking Reno. Genesis had never been so happy to see the goddamn Turk.

"Reno…" He breathed out. "You… you gotta get somebody. They injected Sephiroth… too much mako… he really looks ill." At this very moment he would have even begged for it.

"Okay, let's get you back first." Reno steadied the other redhead, frowning as he looked around. It was really strange that no one was around, he'd wanted to ask someone for directions after he had lost the couple, but no one had been there. As they slowly went back he dialed a number on his cell, hoping to get through to Gast, who picked up the phone quickly and promised to come over immediately. "Where's the room?" Reno finally asked as he dragged Genesis along.

"Over there… number fourteen." The other answered quietly, all his attention bestowed onto the task of setting one foot after another. It worked, but now that the adrenaline of having to get somebody for help had worn off, he felt even sicker than before. His skin burned and itched, and it felt like it was falling from his bones, when it really wasn't.

"Ah, c'mon!" Reno moaned, hosting one of Genesis' arms over his shoulder. He always got the shitty jobs, this was so typical. "And don't you dare puke on my new shoes, yo," he uttered, as he pushed open the door to what seemed little more than a closet. After he had sat Genesis down on his bed he went over to the other bed where Sephiroth lay, white as a sheet, his pupils frantically shifting back and forth. Reno tried to talk to him but he didn't reply.

"What. The. Fuck."

"I told you he was bad…" Genesis mumbled tiredly, curling up onto the stretcher, his eyes never leaving Sephiroth's form. He hoped dearly that someone would come already, would help him. He assumed that his own body was just reacting normally to his first mako injection, but the silver-haired man had had those before and he doubted that this was normal.

Fortunately for them, only minutes later the door was opened and Professor Gast walked in, immediately turning towards Sephiroth, questioning the two red-heads about the incident and waving in two of the nurses he had brought along. One of them turned towards Genesis, checking him briefly, before stating that he was lucky because it was just a typical reaction to the mako.

Reno watched the counter measures being taken with quick precision. He'd have to inform Tseng, but not before he knew what was going on. Gast and the nurses looked tense as they worked their magic on Sephiroth. "We have to get him out of here," Gast said eventually and the nurses nodded curtly, rolling off with the stretcher. Reno wanted to follow but was sharply ordered to stay behind with Genesis.

This day couldn't get any worse.

"How ya doing?" Reno asked listlessly, looking down at the redhead with little interest.

"Like you care…" Genesis answered without heat. "But… okay so far. Compared to Seph it's probably a light sickness." Sighing, he closed his aching eyes and breathed deeply. His stomach began to calm down slowly, but he knew that the side-effects would take some time to fully wear off. "Reno, you promise me something?"

"It's not a dying wish now, is it?" the redhead tried to sound unbothered, but it was making him nervous. He'd been supposed to watch them, make sure nothing happened and now here he was, with the company's mascot in critical condition and the other was going all dramatic on him... Tseng would eat him alive if he let either one of them die.

"Pf, you wish I would ask for that…" Genesis chuckled drily. "I want you to find out what happened… okay? It… just feels like this wasn't an incident…" He said frostily. These so-called incidents were really getting on his nerves. Having to fight, escape bombs and whatever else was manageable, but injecting an overdose of mako, poisoning Sephiroth - that was something else, this was no unfortunate accident.

"That kinda is my job anyways, yo." Reno lighted a cigarette, inwardly relieved. The stress would kill him some day. "But shit really seems to pile up around you... don't worry yo, he'll be just fine. Bad weeds grow tall."

"I don't worry… at least not that much…" Genesis denied hastily, blinking into the light around them, his hands shaking even though they weren't doing anything. "And do your job right then…"

"Yeah... well how about you stop walking off like that?" Reno snapped back, blowing a cloud of smoke into the impertinent SOLDIERs face. "I bet he'll die," he then added petulantly, but he didn't really mean it.

Genesis snorted and coughed. "And I promise I'll puke on your shoes if you continue doing that." He snapped right back. "Don't you say that about him…"

"Oh don't you dare!" Reno jumped back against the wall to protect his feet, glaring. It seemed that Genesis felt a lot better if he could bitch like that already. "Stay here, gotta call the boss," he then ordered and left the room.

"Stupid Turk…" Genesis growled before he sat up. If Reno said he should stay here and then he knew what he wasn't going to do. He could try and find out where they brought Sephiroth and drop by for a visit, now that his arms and legs didn't feel like jelly anymore. He wouldn't be able to eat for the next few hours, but he wasn't hungry anyhow.

Sighing, he got up, gingerly taking two steps before he felt secure enough to walk properly. Outside it was still rather empty, but at least now he heard people talking and walking around. Wandering around , he finally found somebody to ask for the silver-haired First Class. He wasn't allowed to see him, as the young man told him, but welcome to wait in the infirmary.

tbc?

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**I hope to get up the next chapter soon^^ Constructive criticism is always welcome. Have a nice weekend you lovely people!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello everybody, right before the weekend here comes a new chapter^^ We hope you'll like it!**

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Chapter 20

About half an hour later, Tseng entered said infirmary. He stopped in the door, scanning the empty room before his heavy gaze finally came to rest on Genesis. Then he slowly walked over with precise movements. "Mister Rhapsodos," he said calmly, hands behind his back.

The other looked up at the address, blinking slowly as he took in the other's appearance. Judging from his uniform and his stance, Genesis assumed he was a Turk and because he had never seen him before – other than for example Reno or the bald one – he supposed he was higher ranked than those. Not that he thought that Reno was particularly high-ranked.

"And who – if I may ask, Sir – are you?" Genesis replied as politely as possible. But he just was grumpy and itchy and still slightly in pain from the injection.

"You may," Tseng replied, his expression remaining absolutely neutral. "My name is Tseng, I am with the Turks. I have been asked to look into the succession of..." He paused, "incidents that happened to you recently. Tell me what happened." It wasn't a question.

_Tseng_, that name rang a bell somewhere, but Genesis couldn't decide where he'd heard that name and in what context. "You mean today, or the others, too?"

"Today. I have all information on the other incidents already." Tseng flicked open a notebook and clicked his pen, then looked expectantly at Genesis with just the slightest hint of impatience.

And suddenly the red-head felt like he was being put back into his childhood, having done something awfully wrong. His dad would stand in front of him like this – when he was home on rare occassions – and he would rage and shout. And Tseng was evoking the same emotions in Genesis now, he felt so small and misunderstood.

He shoved the feelings aside and set his face straight, as he began re-telling what had happened today. Even though he hadn't paid the lab assistant any mind, he remembered some characteristics about his looks. When he finally finished, he watched Tseng taking his notes with precise and graceful movements. He wondered idly what rank the Turk was, if Turks had something like ranks.

"That settles it then. Thank you for your cooperation," Tseng said distantly, putting away his note book. Genesis seemed awfully nervous in his presence, glancing towards him every so often. Tseng mistook the looks. "There is no need to be anxious. I am sure Sephiroth will be fine."

"It's not…" Genesis started before stopping himself. "Thank you," he offered instead, smiling a wary smile. It was better to let Tseng think he was caring for a friend than comparing him to his dick of a father. No need to present uninteresting family stories. He rubbed his hands over his face in a tired manner before leaning back. "Could you… perhaps tell Reno that I'm here? He told me to stay in the labs, but I couldn't… I don't want him to be in trouble or anything…" Actually he wanted just that, but Reno had rescued Sephiroth, no matter how Genesis liked that.

"I will let him know," Tseng replied. 'Maybe', he added morosely in thought. Would serve the brat right to get scared, he should take his duties more seriously. "I suggest you go back to your post now. We will let you know once we find out something."

Genesis nodded. Besides the mako ibjection he had no other duties today, so could as well wait here for any new information on Sephiroth's condition. After the mako injections they had gotten a day off before they would train under these new conditions for the rest of the week. The red-head knew that more injections were to come for the Soldiers to become more and more enhanced, but he loathed them already. Plus, he didn't notice any changes whatsoever.

Tseng raised a brow when Genesis made no move to leave. He sat down beside the boy, since he was supposed to wait until Sephiroth woke up to question him. He was also here for his protection. "Tough weeks," he finally said non-committally.

"I should probably get used to it…" Genesis answered reluctantly. Now that Tseng was sitting, he was perhaps less intimidating, but only a little less. "It's part of the job." He glanced to his right, where the other man sat, but turned his head to watch the nurses and doctors, who were running from door to door.

"You will never get used to it," Tseng replied, his eyes hooded in a seemingly lazy manner, though he was on alert. "It shouldn't be this way either."

"I could easily live without that fear and adrenaline…" The other sighed heavily, but shrugged then. "But then I would have chosen another kind of job, so I'm not complaining."

"You would have." For the first time Tseng's lips twitch upwards into something of a smile. "It will be over soon though. We have a good idea what is going on now."

Genesis found himself easing up a little at the barely there kind of smile Tseng offered him. "But let me guess, you're not going to tell us until it's all clarified, right? You Turks truly are something." His tone held no heat at all.

"Correct." Tseng blinked slowly, when the doctor who was attending to Sephiroth entered and wiped his brow with a cloth before he adjusted his glasses. "You can come see him now."

At first, Genesis thought about letting Tseng enter first because he surely had official stuff to set straight here, but when the other moved deliberately slow, it was obvious that he wanted to talk to the doctor first. And the redhead couldn't care less about the doctor now.

Upon entering the rather spacious single-room that Sephiroth was assigned to now, Genesis thought about turning and leaving again. The usually proud and strong silver-haired soldier was still white as the sheets around him, several IVs providing him with medicine. And even though his eyes shone brightly from the mako overdose, they were clear and – what counted for Genesis right now – open. He smiled slowly as he walked in.

"How do you feel?"

Sephiroth gulped dryly, because his throat was raw. The mako had caused an alarming dehydration that was still being treated. Speaking hurt, so he kept it to a minimum. "Peachy." He managed to pull up one corner of his lip. He was glad to see that Genesis was all right; the redhead had looked pretty sick too and he wouldn't have survived a mako poisoning. "You?"

"I think you sound as sarcastic as ever." Genesis answered and rolled his eyes as he seated himself next to Sephiroth's bed. "So your mako poisoning can't be that bad." He didn't mean it of course, the other looked horrible and far from fine, but as long as they could joke about it, the near death experience seemed so far away. "I'm fine, a little weak and sleepy, but the lab assistant told me I was going to be okay."

"Great." Sephiroth sighed but had to cough the next moment. When it subsided he leaned back against the cushion, eying Genesis strangely before he spoke up again. "Do me a favor?"

In return the redhead tilted his head slightly before he agreed. "What is it?"

"Don't tell my brothers." He had to pause and sip frpm the glass of water that stood by his bed, before he could continue. Though it was already better, he just had to get used to it... "They'll only worry. I'm fine now."

Even though he did not really agree to it, Genesis thought Sephiroth did have a point here. Those boys would be going mad with worry if they told them about every incident that happened at ShinRa.

"I won't tell them, if you don't want me to." He promised honestly, a small smile gracing his features. Just now did the information reach his brain that Sephiroth was official not going to die and his heart made a strange flip at that.

"Good." Sephiroth relaxed a bit, falling back into the cushion. His head still hurt, but he couldn't stop thinking about the incident."It's official now," he muttered, reaching for a glass of water as he kept watching Genesis and his adorably relieved expression from the corner of his eye.

The other turned his head slightly. "It was pretty obvious what this someone was after." He answered quietly and brushed through his disheveled hair. Normally he would fuss over a mirror by now to get it straight and beautiful again, but he was tired.

"I wish I had seen the guy's nameplate or remember something striking about him. But…" He worried his bottom lip between his teeth, desperately seeking the outlying places of his brain for something, anything about today that had been odd.

"Wouldn't have changed anything. He's just a puppet and he is gone by now," Sephiroth snorted, pressing his lips together. "Whoever wants to kill me has access to seemingly inexhaustible resources and power. That narrows the list of the suspects down considerably." That also made it way more difficult to catch them and make them stop. They had tried to be subtle so far and let it seem like an accident, but once they became impatient...

"Even if he's a puppet I would have made him spill…" Genesis hissed moodily and crossed his arms in front of his chest. How could Sephiroth stay so cool and level-headed when he had only – once again – escaped death … scarcely. "Sounds like Shinra himself, but I doubt he would do that to his priced posterboy…"

"There's more than one Shinra," Sephiroth retorted with a lifted brow. He had his money on Rufus, the bratty vice-president. The man was desperate to end his father's reign and he didn't seem to care what means he had to use to get him there. Sephiroth had no intention of dying, but before he could fight back they needed to be sure who was targeting him. He let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head.

Genesis stared at him in utter disbelief. "You can't be serious… Rufus? Why would he do that?" The red-head suspected a few people himself but he had never counted any of the Shinras among them.

"He wants his old man's position and he has to weaken him. SOLDIER is their image shaping, high prized and promoted program. If it fails, Rufus can start his coup d'etat without much resistance from anyone." Sephiroth could have cared less - hadn't he been convinced that with Rufus at the top lives of the people (and especially his brothers) would be even more miserable than they were now.

The other arched an eyebrow at that, but didn't answer directly. "Don't you think it would be a bit… obvious if he started reaching for power right after someone… got rid of you?" What Sephiroth said seemed plausible though. Perhaps he should snoop around a little and perhaps he got tiny bits of information from Reno.

"No, it would be the perfect excuse. What better opportunity to show people how incompetent the current head of ShinRa is. A lot of the higher ranked staff is waiting for him to make a mistake or die already. Under Rufus they hope to climb ranks faster. Vultures."

"Yeah… makes sense." Genesis answered slowly and sighed. No matter how much he turned the whole story around and no matter how long they waited to see what was happening it always got worse. He doubted that whoever was after Sephiroth wouldn't let another opportunity pass to get rid of him.

Sephiroth nodded tiredly. The short talk had exhausted him already and he felt his eyelids close, his mind drifting, and before he knew it he was dozing off.

Genesis smiled softly at the sleeping form in front of him and left the room quietly. The door clicked softly when he closed it. Once outside he contemplated his chance for sneaking around alone. Zero, actually. If he was being optimistic then he had a tiny chance to not get killed by Turks or executed or something.

He needed back-up and Reno suddenly seemed as if he was made for this job. Genesis wasn't too sure if the Turk would come along, but it was definitely worth a try.

He stalked off, heading for the labs were he hoped Reno would still be running around.

And indeed, Reno was still trying to find the lab geek that had poisoned the new future star of ShinRa. Reno knew that they had invested ridiculous amounts of money into Sephiroth, that the expectations on his career were sheer overwhelming and that mostly one person would gain from a failure.

Of course he didn't find that ominous lab assistant who had almost killed Sephiroth. Still he had to stay down here a bit longer to make it seem as if he was trying. Reno went into an abandoned room that was more of a closet, lightened a cigarette and inhaled deeply.

The other red-head simply followed the light smell of cigarettes in the air. He assumed that no one would be bold enough to smoke down here, no one but Reno. Genesis was quite surprised of his new sense of smelling, it was sharper now. At least one advantage. He hadn't suffered for nothing down here.

"Reno?" He called out. It was deadly silent and obviously safe to have their talk down here.

Reno tensed as he heard his name being called, but Tseng's sharp edge was missing from the tone, thus he just poked out his head into the corridor, grabbed Genesis and pulled him inside before pushing the door closed again. " Stop screaming. What's up?"

"Stop wetting yourself, there isn't even anybody out there." Genesis shrugged the other's hand off as he spoke, wrinkling his nose at the too strong smell in the small room, but left it at that. "I need you to help me with something."

"Do you?" Reno arched a brow, taking another drag, coughing and waving the smoke away from his face. "I'm kinda busy here, you know."

"Yeah, I totally see that." Genesis wasn't really listening to him anyways. "I want you to help me find the one who is responsible for all this", he waved around with his left hand a little, "and Seph voiced his thoughts about who it might be."

"He did?" Reno stubbed out his cigarette and threw it on the floor where he stomped on it again, just for good measure. He wasn't getting anywhere here and he was sick of being at the bottom of the food chain. That Sephiroth guy seemed smart (when he wasn't letting himself being mako poisoned, that was), so maybe this could be helpful. "Who is it?" he asked curiously, pushing a hand into the pocket of his pants, his open suit jacket rustling.

The other looked around, scanning the room briefly for devices of supervision before he leaned forward. "He thinks it's Rufus, and I need to find out if it's true." He said lowly, barely audible. "I cannot wait any longer, he almost got Sephiroth last time."

Reno barked out a laugh, his finger sliding under his nose as he shook his head, amused. When he noted Genesis' dead serious expression his face went blank and then he stared in disbelief. "You for real?" His eyes darted around, alarmed, then he grabbed Genesis by the arm and pulled him closer, hissing "Do you know what you're saying?!"

"Yes, I do know." Genesis retorted icily. He'd rather believe it was some punk from the 'rescue Gaia' fraction that wanted Sephiroth dead just because he was part of Shinra, but the silver-haired man had been so sure about Rufus and Genesis just had to find out. Especially with Sephiroth ill there was a high risk that something else was happening if he waited too long.

Reno looked at him for a few long, tense seconds, then he relaxed. "Okay. So what's the plan?" He knew about the power struggles too, hell, everyone did. He could see what Rufus would gain from a dead SOLDIER First Class. And he also saw what he himself could gain from preventing that. This could propel him to the top, if he was to bust this conspiracy. Tseng'd be so proud!

Genesis eyed him closely for another moment before sighing. "I haven't really thought it through, I just talked to Sephiroth. But I guess the place where Rufus would keep any stuff on this is his office. I know, it's highly guarded with all sorts of CCTV and the like, but that's your job, so you can get around it."

"I'm flattered, but sadly no, they wouldn't entrust someone like me with the security of someone like Rufus." 'Yet', he added in thought. "You're right though, if you want to stop him you need proof and that is most likely to be found in his office. The guy practically lives there..." Reno looked thoughtful for a minute. "I know a guy who owes me a favor and who is part of Rufus' security. There might be a way to get in. But do you really wanna do this? If you're caught they will have your balls for , chances that Rufus is stupid enough to leave any records of this are pretty slim." Then again, Rufus was an arrogant prick and they tended to overestimate their superiority and get lazy...

The other merely shrugged it off. "I'm doing it for a friend and I'm not planning on getting caught. Are you sure there are no cameras or anything in his office? I wouldn't want to sneak in just to get caught because of tiny pieces of metal…" Genesis grinned, this really seemed to work out. Granted, he did most of the work and the risk was high, but Sephiroth's life was at stake here and even if he imagined how Sephiroth's brothers would be crushed at the loss of their big brother… If he could prevent it, he would.

"Nah, Rufus is a control freak but he values his own privacy more than anything. No wonder really, I don't wanna know what scheming's going on there. Okay, let me get in touch with that guy." He snapped open his phone, dialed a number and waited only a few seconds before he had a short conversation with the mailbox, demanding to be called back. He shut the phone and turned back to Genesis, rubbing his forehead. "All right, let's make a plan. I think we have half an hour max, that is the time when Rufus has dinner with his father every night. They hate each other, so they keep it short. I've been in that office only once, it's huge. Maybe you should keep to the desk area, most likely to find something there."

Genesis nodded. "I go in, find what we are looking for, and be out of there before anybody notices anything. You make sure Rufus doesn't burst in when I'm all over his desk and we are fine."

"I'll have your back. Gotta get one of those ear knobs, to stay in touch and all." Reno was excited like a little boy with a new toy. This was why he had joined the Turks: action, adventure and danger. Not babysitting.

A long suffering sigh left Genesis' lips but he couldn't contain the smile that slowly spread over his face. "You are only excited because I'm the one they will hang if we're getting caught… But well, who would condemn you?" He stretched. The strange, sick feeling was finally gone, leaving behind the numb memory of pain and burning acid. He felt better now, way better than before, as if he had been cleansed from within. At least something.

"Yeah, like they won't find out who let you in and who called the favor in. My ass is on the line just as much."

Reno's 'friend' – Genesis was fine without asking who it was, even though he was curious – called back about half an hour later, sounding a little cranky about the red-head's call. Not that Reno seemed bothered about it, he obviously had a hell of a time annoying people.

Eventually Reno snapped his phone shut, rolled his eyes and lit a new cigarette. He would have to stay down here for another half an hour at least, pretending he was doing his job. "Let's meet at floor 58 at 5 pm. Gives us an hour to prepare and then it's showtime." He grinned as he said that.

Genesis grinned back. "I'll be there." He said before coughing and waving the smoke away. "You really got to do something about that habit."

Reno just shrugged and took another drag.

tbc?

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**Dun DUUUUN! Hope you liked, criticism is always welcome ^^**


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the lateness of this chapter and thanks for the reminder^^ I hope you enjoy it!**

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Chapter 21

Genesis congratulated himself on his good reactions and instincts, as he pressed himself against the back of one of the many wardrobes. His heart was thundering so loud that he was afraid Rufus and his bodyguard would still notice him. But through the slits in the door he saw no evidence of his detection.

"This was tiring," Rufus complained, taking off the tie from around his neck to throw it careless over the sofa, "I can't wait till that old man is gone for good."

The bodyguard nodded, his dark glasses hiding the bulky man's expression. He stood by the door, hands in front of his lap, his broad shoulders blocking the entrance.

"How did it go with project S, by the way?" Rufus walked behind his desk, flicking through a few documents without sitting down, but at the question he looked up at the bodyguard.

"I'm afraid our attempts to settle the matter have yet to bear fruits," the man muttered in a deep voice, shifting a bit uncomfortably. Rufus was known for his infamous temper sometimes when things didn't go his way.

"What?!" Rufus immediately thundered, his fist landing heavily on the tidy desk, where papers were carelessly flying around now. His ice blue eyes gleamed with anger. "What _can_ you do right?" He growled lowly, his face distorted. "I send him on a mission with some newbie to be torn apart by a zolom, and what happens? He comes back in one piece and is barely hurt at all. I send him to investigate on that bridge to get blown into pieces, and what happens? He comes back!" He spat and abruptly turned to face the wide glass front behind his desk. "And now I go out of my way to arrange this mako incident that should dead sure kill him and what happens? He's hospitalized for a few days?! What the hell is wrong with you?! Can't you do anything right? How hard can it be to kill one single man?!" His flat hand collided forcefully with the glass when he ended, his breathing accelerated

"I'm..."

"Don't... say it." Rufus warned. "I don't want to hear your excuses. I want to finally see Sephiroth dead. Who am I to thank for your failure this time" He asked sardonically, turning to face the poor guy by the door. The man, Reno identified him as one of his fellow Turks named Rude, cleared his throat. He remained admiringly calm at the temper tantrum Rufus threw.

"His partner, Genesis Rhapsodos, alarmed one of the staff members." When Reno heard that, he stiffened. Actually he had been the one to unknowingly spoil the vice president's plan and it could get him in trouble. Rude was a great guy for not mentioning his name... Too bad Reno couldn't thank him for that, since technically, he wasn't even supposed to know about the conversation. But he recorded it all. Maybe they didn't have anything on paper, but this was even better: video footage about Rufus explicitly complaining about a failed assassination. Granted, the picture wasn't that great, because Genesis could only film through a tiny opening of his wardrobe, but it was enough to identify Rufus as the one who was talking.

Rufus huffed in response and turned back to the window, staring at the city below him.

"And who is that Rhapsodos? A First Class? An elite Turk?" He finally asked snidely. "He's a nobody, Rude, how can he get in between me and the power over this company?" With that Rufus pushed away from the window and turned around to face Rude. "It won't come off as incidents anymore. Tseng is already investigating, even though he's doing a poor job because he obviously knows I'm the one responsible. Anyway, as soon as someone else, especially my father, finds out, we are done, Rude. Do you understand?"

With a morose look he flopped down on his chair, interlacing his fingers and propping his head onto them. "Now we need a new idea, to get rid of my father's golden boy."

"Excuse my asking sir," Rude spoke up, something that was rather unusual for the quiet man. "But why is it that General Sephiroth must be eliminated?" Reno suspected that Rude was not at ease with the mission; otherwise he wouldn't have questioned Rufus' motives. Apparently he was as much at a loss here as Reno was. But he was a Turk and a loyal one. So he would do whatever Rufus ordered him to do, even if it didn't sit well with him. Now Reno was kind of glad about his babysitting jobs...

Rufus shot the man a dark look, but then deigned to explain himself with that natural air of arrogance and superiority of his. "General Sephiroth needs to die, because he is the symbol of my father's power, his reign. Everything he is, everything ShinRa Company represents, my father's achievements, his goals, his work is all accumulated in that one figure, that mascot. What do you think people answer when you ask them why they want to join SOLDIER, what they associate with ShinRa?" He nonchalantly asked, giving the answer himself a second later. "Sephiroth. Even our enemies hesitate in the face of that man's influence and prowess. And it will only get worse. With him out of the picture it will be easy to overthrow father. And that is why he must be eliminated," the vice-president finished gravely.

Genesis gulped at that confession. Rufus wanted Sephiroth to be killed because he wanted to get rid of his father and take over ShinRa, he did this because he wanted to be head of his father's company. Over the headset he heard even Reno gasp, Rude merely stood and watched the blonde explain.

"Nevermind," Rufus sighed finally, waving his hand dismissively around before getting up and walking past Rude. "We just need to be more creative and get Sephiroth's boy toy off his heals. He seems to have a bad influence on our plans. Let's go." He said as the door swiftly opened.

Reno held his breath as they walked past his plant towards the elevator. He counted the seconds it took them to wait and enter the damn glass cabin and finally be out of his sight!

When they were gone he blew out a massive amount of air, and finally got up. His knees and his back were soar, as were most of his muscles from being so tense. "You can come out now, they're gone, yo," he said over the speaker, stretching carefully. They better get out of here soon too, they had no plausible explanation for their presence, in case someone caught them and asked.

Genesis had waited for Reno to say that before he could finally relax. He could have easily been caught here if he had made only one wrong move, a tiny noise. His heart was still thundering so loudly in his ears that he needed a few seconds to get up.

After he had carefully made his way out of Rufus' office, he knelt down beside Reno. "He's crazy, Reno," he said lowly.

"Damn right he is," Reno commented dryly. "But from his point of view it makes sense. And that is the worst. That's ShinRa politics, yo." Reno looked at the little gadget in his hand, turning the recorder off. "Let's get out of here now. We can discuss a plan for damage control elsewhere."

He picked up his stuff from behind the pot plant and made his way over the shiny, polished floor to the elevator. There were times where he really didn't want to know what was going on behind closed doors. And now was such a time.

The other redhead followed with a sigh and together they took the elevator to bring them down. Genesis decided to not loose a word about the whole incident before they were sure no one was listening. If anything, his short time at ShinRa had taught him, that you were barely ever unsupervised.

"So, where're we going now?"

"Some place safe," Reno curtly dismissed, stopping the elevator at the 35th floor. They got off, the redhead checking the corridor for people all the while. Then he suddenly pulled open one of the many doors that flanked their way, pushing Genesis inside. Actually, he had chosen the only room on that floor that was not to be entered through sliding doors.

It was a broom closet.

"All right, let's see what we have." Reno set down his equipment, impatiently pushing Genesis aside, as it was rather narrow in here and he needed the space. "If we're lucky, I got it all taped," he muttered in a lowered voice while he plugged in his headphones, at the same time fishing a cigarette out of the pocket of his suit.

Genesis crossed his arms in front of his chest and rolled his eyes, but refrained from saying anything. As long as Reno didn't push his temper too far it would be okay. And after this incident he didn't have too much energy to scold Reno for shoving him around.

"Who will we show it to, if we got everything?" He asked tiredly while watching the other work. "Tseng? Or the president himself? I doubt they will do anything against Rufus. He's the president's son after all."

"We can't show this to the president," Reno said tightly. He might not look or behave like the sharpest tool in the box, but that was due to laziness, not because he was dumb. In fact he knew a lot more about Shinra politics than he let on. Otherwise he wouldn't have survived this serpents' nest.

"There is no guarantee that he will act on it. They are a messed up family. If we're unlucky he will compliment his deranged son on his ambitions and we'll be gotten rid off. Even if he does take action Shinra Junior's wrath will be upon us and believe me, you don't want that. He might be a crazy bastard, but he got power, influence and followers that will take care of us if he can't. There needs to be a more elegant solution." He bit his lip, then pulled the plug out of his ear. "Everything's recorded. I suggest we get in contact with Rufus directly."

"Won't that bring his wrath upon us as well?" Genesis subjected doubtfully. "There is no guarantee that he won't get rid of us right away. Even if he doesn't, what makes you so sure that he would even act upon it if not even his father would go against him?"

Even though they had the evidence they had longed for, Genesis was more hopeless than before. At least they could tell Sephiroth about it.

"First of all, it will bring his wrath upon _you_," Reno clarified, crossing his arms over his chest. He had no intention of getting officially involved. And why would he? He had no attachments to Sephiroth and he'd risked too much already. "But you're not stupid. You will make copies that you hide in a safe place. Should something happen to you or Sephiroth the files will be send to all newspapers. ShinRa's grip on them is not as tight as he wants it to be and there are underground magazines. Besides, word travels fast in the slums. And even Rufus won't be stupid enough to risk the crowds' hatred. They won't take it kindly that he tries to take away their hero and once his plans are made public even ShinRa senior won't be able to play it down. He will have to take sanctioning consequences." Reno paused, taking a long drag from his cigarette, the burning end glowing hotly. "Make sure Rufus understands that. You got him trapped, and you can make him stop if you play your cards right, yo."

The other red-head shrugged. "For me there's no difference between 'we' and 'you'. If anything goes wrong I'm dead – or worse – anyway," he answered wryly before leaning against the cupboard next to Reno. It was full of buckets, sponges and smelly cleaning articles and the smell of rotten cloth filled his nostrils. He wondered if ever someone went to clean in _here_.

"Let me sum that up again. I – or you for that matter because we at least want to do this right – will copy the tape, I'll take one to Rufus and confront him with what's on it. I'll blackmail the president's son… now isn't this totally screwed…" He sighed exaggeratedly, looking thoughtfully around in the small cabinet. "Thank you, Reno. Really…" The small smile on his lips was a genuine one. The other had risked a lot to help him, not only his job, but also his life, even though he so vehemently denied the danger. Who'd have thought, after how they had started off...

"Yeah, you'll blackmail him," Reno smirked with unhidden glee. "Feed him some of his own shit." Exhaling blue smoke into the tiny box they were squashed in, Reno put back his stuff into a bag. "I'll make the copy and set up the safety plan. I know where to send this in case shit hits the fan. You go worry about your boyfriend, I'll call you once I'm done. Then you can go all berserk on ShinRa junior. But no word about me, capice?" He threw Genesis a warning look, pointing with his cigarette at him.

"He isn't my boyfriend and yes, I'll keep your good reputation safe, don't worry," Genesis smirked playfully, chuckling at Reno's unhidden happiness about paying Rufus back. "You don't seem to like Rufus, do you now?"

Reno shrugged, pretending that the man didn't get under his skin. The truth was, Rufus could be one creepy, power-hungry and ruthless bastard. He was an opportunist, unpredictable and smart, which made him all the more dangerous. Reno wouldn't mind fucking him, though. The blond was handsome and got - believe it or not- a sense of humor that went straight to Reno's funny bone. Anyway, he didn't want to ponder that now, so he deflected,

"Not your boyfriend, eh? What's with all the drama then?"

Genesis eyed him thoughtfully for a moment before he sighed, "I kind of promised to take care of him and he's a friend in need for help. I'm not as heartless as you might think." He had almost told Reno of Sephiroth's brothers even though he had vowed never to tell anyone about them. The silver-haired man was still sensitive about his family, but now that he knew what was going on inside the company, Genesis understood him. He obviously wanted to protect his brothers and if Sephiroth couldn't protect himself as well, the red-head would do it. He would make sure this ShinRa brat got a mouthful, one way or the other.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Reno snorted provokingly, rolling his eyes in disbelief. He barely refrained from whistling 'Seph and Gen, sittin' in a tree'. On the other hand it was probably better for them to keep a low profile. Becoming attached also meant to be vulnerable.

"I'm out, yo. Send you a text later." He let his cig fall to the floor and stomped on it, then opened the door and slid his head outside to see if the corridor was clear.

Looking after him, as Reno walked off, Genesis barely refrained from giving a snarky reply. He just waited for the door to fall closed and sighed deeply, the tension suddenly bleeding out of him for the first time this day. He finally noticed that he got what he wanted, Sephiroth would be safe… So perhaps he felt a little responsible for the taller swordsman, but that didn't mean anything.

He rubbed his palms over his tired eyes, trying to decide what to do now that this was finally over. He would have to think about a way to confront Rufus, that was up to him anyway. He couldn't just walk into the other's office and accuse him. Something like a meeting had to be arranged, that was what normal people did. Genesis decided to bother with that the next morning, now it was too late. Wherever Rufus had gone to, he doubted the blonde would return to his office anytime soon. Until then he had to personally watch out for Sephiroth, who was still in hospital.

That would be his next destination, again.

When the door to his room opened, Sephiroth looked up from the magazine he wasn't really reading. It was ridiculous that they still kept him here, tied to the bed, when he was feeling _fine,_ but the doctor wouldn't listen of course. They wouldn't even let him do some training. Instead the nurse had thrown a stack of tattered magazines at him and told him dryly to grin and bear it. Maybe he _should_ have replied to her flirting, her attitude had rapidly deteriorated after that...

Also, it was very suspicious that Genesis had been gone for so long, thus Sephiroth gave him a cool look as he finally deigned to grace a sick, almost dying man with a visit. "Where have you been?" Sephiroth asked, marginally peeved.

Genesis stopped at the door, a puzzled expression painted over his face at the harsh greeting. Not that Sephiroth was kindness personified, but the redhead couldn't think of anything that could possibly have pissed him off now. Especially since Genesis hadn't even tried to annoy him...

"I was with Reno," he answered, settling for the truth to not make Sephiroth's foul mood even worse. "How are you feeling?"

"With Reno?" Sephiroth lifted his chin suspiciously. "What did you do?" He ignored the question about his health on purpose, as it didn't matter right now.

"We worked." Genesis merely said, his expression never changing as he walked towards the bed and sat down on the chair next to it. "Will you answer my question now or is this an interrogation?"

Sephiroth kept his suspicions, but then he sighed and fell back into the cushion, looking miserable. Miserably bored. "I'm fine, but no one believes me. I'm bored out of my wits.. There's nothing to do here. They won't even let me write my report. They took away my cell phone. And the TV." His bottom lip unconsciously pouted out as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You do know that you should relax and get well again here, right?" Genesis asked with a smile. This was so typically Sephiroth that it lightened his mood somewhat. As much as he despised the other's pushy and bossy attitude, it was so typical of him that it was rather delightful. "You are not supposed to work."

"That wouldn't have happened if the medical staff was more competent," Sephiroth replied. "I have to stay here for two more days. For surveillance." He rolled his eyes. It was such a lame excuse. In truth they wanted to keep him here to avoid another ambush, most likely. "You have to find another partner for your class assignments."

"Why, oh, why. Classes will never be the same without you," Genesis teased with a laugh, rubbing the muscles of his cramped and tired neck. "Just bear with it and you'll be out of here soon." He tried to cheer Sephiroth up, even though it was pretty useless. "Anyway. I guess I'll stay here tonight. In case somebody wants to sexually abuse you, or something." He winked and planted his arms next to the other's legs on the blanket.

"The only one I fear sexual abuse from is you," Sephiroth retorted smoothly, with a slightly lewd smile. He was still hooked to an IV and didn't get any substantial food, but he was thirsty and asked Genesis to get him a glass of water.

And as Genesis went to fetch some water from one of the nurses outside, his phone vibrated silently in his pocket. It was Reno, who explained that he had already established the backup plan and that he should go for Rufus as soon as possible. The longer they waited the more time Rufus had to set up new plans to go after Sephiroth's life. Hanging up, Genesis sighed, getting the water he had come for as Rufus walked past him. He tensed for a moment before getting a grip and looking after the blonde. Rufus didn't know that he had spied on him, there was no way he would know.

As the vice president entered Sephiroth's room, the red-head hurried with his glass of water to get inside as well. No one could possibly know what the president's son was up to next, especially since Genesis knew for sure that he was the one wanting to get rid of the silver-haired First Class Solider – and almost had succeeded last time...

"Sephiroth… I see you are still up and well, despite this unfortunate incident." Rufus greeted the man on the bed after he strode in like the room belonged to him and nobody else. He had to show his face every now and then or people would become suspicious, especially Sephiroth himself.

Sephiroth struggled to sit up a bit and maintain a respectful position. Vice president Shinra bothering to visit him was an honor, at least in theory. Sephiroth gave a light bow to communicate his respect (he wasn't allowed to salute. Doctor's orders.).

"I am." Sephiroth was not a great conversationalist. He was decent when he put some effort into it, but he didn't feel like it now. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

Rufus opened his mouth to reply when Genesis walked in again, greeting the man with a curt 'Sir' and a listless salute before setting the cup of water down on Sephiroth's nightstand.

The blonde eyed the Second Class Soldier for a brief moment, contemplating how such an insignificant brat could disrupt his plans over and over again. Of course, Sephiroth himself was also the reason for Rufus' plans to fail. Even though he didn't seem to know about anything, the silver-haired man seemed to act in advance. And Genesis had saved Sephiroth from his original death - namely the one by the Zolom; Rufus dearly grieved that this plan had failed - and from the last one.

"I felt obliged to visit and see for myself how you are doing. I - again I guess - can assure you that this has Top Priority among the Turks."

Genesis could barely refrain from saying something really nasty.

Sephiroth simply nodded. He found it awkward to speak to the brat (because really, it was common knowledge that Rufus was a spoiled, obnoxious little boy), even more so since he couldn't rule out the possibility of the man trying to kill him. Repeatedly.

"As you can see I am well now. I am grateful for your concerns, but I don't dare steal more of your precious time."

"Then perhaps, Mr. Shinra, I may be so bold as to steal some of your time." Genesis replied smoothly instead. Perhaps this was already the time to approach the other; the redhead didn't like Rufus being here in Sephiroth's room at all. It reminded him even more of the fact that no matter what Genesis did, Rufus could always get to Sephiroth, somehow. "I would like to have a talk with you."

Rufus lifted a brow looking non too enthusiastic. He highly dislike Genesis and had no desire to talk to him - but then again maybe this was a chance to get him to lay low a bit, to get him away from Sephiroth. "Why not," he therefore agreed. Turning to Sephiroth who had watched the exchange in silence he gave his fake sympathies one last time and then stepped outside.

"What is it?" he droned in a languid fashion, making a show of looking at his watch as if pressed for time.

"I want you to stay away from Sephiroth, Rufus, and I want to stop trying to kill him for your selfish reasons." Genesis started right of, his voice just a little more than a whisper. As much as he would like to tell the world what this brat had tried to do, it wasn't part of the plan. And even though his voice was low and calm, his eyes glittered with barely withheld rage. "You will put an end to this nonsense and wait patiently for your father to kick the bucket or whatever you want to achieve with this. If not…" He leaned casually against the wall next to Sephiroth's door and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "… I think the press would be terribly interested in what you want to do to their hero."

Rufus' expression slipped. The placid look on his features changed into something that seemed as if he wasn't sure whether he should laugh his ass off or throw an enraged fit. Eventually it settled back into a cold mask.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, and if I was you I'd think twice about threatening your superior. I find your concern for your friend admirable, but there are limits. All of us are deeply worried about Sephiroth and I find it highly offensive that you would suggest that anyone here has an interest in eliminating him." His lips were set in a firm, thin line.

A smug smile rushed over Genesis' face in the blink of a moment. The way Rufus' façade had cracked amused and satisfied him immensely. "I know what I heard, Mister Shinra," he retorted, mockingly stressing the formal expression, "And I know what I taped this evening when you were talking quite loudly and a little enraged about how your plans to get rid of Sephiroth always failed because I seem to be in the way; we wouldn't want the public to know, now would we?"

Rufus' eyes narrowed dangerously as he grabbed Genesis by the arm and dragged him into an empty room, glaring at a nurse that followed them to protest. She backed off as she noticed who she was dealing with.

"Now you listen to me you little shit," Rufus growled, his grip around the impertinent brat's arm tightening. He was furious. "This is none of your business and I'm sick of you interfering into mine! " His eyes were ablaze with barely withheld anger. "You think it is wise to threaten me? Think again. I have a whole army at my disposal and you are nothing! Be grateful that I let you live and now go and drag your impertinent ass out of here or I swear your mother can scratch your guts out of the gutter at the end of this day!"

"Oh, I assure you, you have no idea who _you _are dealing with" Genesis grinned menacingly, "You may have your army, but what will you do if the whole city wants your ass for threatening their idol? What will you do if daddy can't save you anymore because his business is far more important than his spoiled little son, who even tried to get his own filthy fingers on his power." The last sentence was a low growl and a snarl followed shortly after, as the red-head freed his arm violently. "Let me give you a well-intended advice… Stay away from Sephiroth."

Rufus' jaw clenched visibly and it looked as if he had to swallow something nasty. His eyes screamed bloody murder as they bore into Genesis' head. Eventually he ground out, his voice clear and low, but stressed, "My father will die eventually. And then you better have a Plan B, because I swear, my first action will be to eliminate your insufferable existence from my empire."

He let go, straightening his suit jacket, never leaving his cold, hard eyes from Genesis. This meant war.

"Oh be sure, I do have a Plan B." Genesis smirked icily. "So just go ahead and try to get rid of me, it will only cost you that newly found position of Shinra Corp. and wouldn't it be a pity to see the corporation in non-ShinRa hands?" He pushed away from the wall, brushing the dust from his shoulders before turning and leaving the small room, slanting one last glance towards an infuriated Rufus Shinra, before he turned to go back to Sephiroth. Just now he noticed how his heart was slamming against his rib cage, how his palms were sweating and the blood was rushing loudly inside of his ears.

With clenched fists Rufus looked after him, but he didn't say anything. It was all right, he told himself, slowly calming down. Once his father was dead it didn't matter anymore, he'd be in control of everything. That included the press of course. It was regrettable that the runt had spoiled his plans to get rid of Sephiroth - but there were still other ways to come to power.

And then the goddess may help Genesis Rhapsodos.

**The end!**

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**It's done, dear readers! Thanks everyone who read, reviewed and faved this story, it was a lot of fun^^ If you're interested, there's a little epilogue we can post, let us know!**


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